


Where Monsters Rule

by Mistress_Luna_Hound



Category: Monster Rancher
Genre: More Stuff will be Added, bothered me they never got names, changes, fanwork, hope you like it, loosely based on tv series, mix of japanese video game and american media, naming nameless characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:00:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 32,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22625200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistress_Luna_Hound/pseuds/Mistress_Luna_Hound
Summary: Thank you to everyone who believed in me and gave me the confidence to post this. Also thank you to Dr-InSean over DeviantArt for editing help. Please enjoy the work.
Comments: 22
Kudos: 1





	1. Game On Part 1/2

Chapter one: Where Monsters Rule

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dust floated down from the shelves as Maleah went over what was left behind. The attic had been organized chaos for as long as she could remember, but it was familiar chaos at least. A faint smirk ghosted over her lips, her parents always said they would go through this whole thing one day and get rid of all this junk. Maleah sighed as she waved a cobweb away from her face. She could see the marks where things had been in the dust, where they had stood for years untouched, and how they had been dragged out from their gray coated slumber. It was almost funny, really. Her brother had said how little all this had mattered to him, how she could have it all, yet it was clear he had come and picked through it all.

Maleah sighed and ran a hand though her somewhat wild hair….she pulled a hair tie form her pocket and did her best to pull the locks back into a semi-tame line. Sorting through these boxes was going to take ages, but it had to be done. So the cutting and sorting began: a pair of bright orange rollerblades, tough but faded backpack, photos, her old PlayStation, an ancient tv, and an envelope with her name on it.

That made her stop for a moment. It was an envelope and it had her name on it, but this was from years ago. It wasn’t a standard letter envelope either. No no no, this was holding something. She pulled the aged yellow-orange paper apart and out tumbled a card that had words she hadn’t seen in years.

‘Congratulations from the Monster Rancher Team!’

Maleah bitterly laughed. “Never came, hmmm?” She said to no one in particular.

This was sent to her years ago and it just hadn’t been given to her. Simple forgetfulness? Spite? She mulled it over….Her family always thought video games were a waste of time; didn’t matter it was her prize from a series she had loved. Didn’t mattered it was her own money that was used towards this ‘waste of time’. Maleah sighed and shook her head.

“Never got to play the damn thing, used a bit savings to get the system and buy that tv from a garage sale…put the rest of it to college like you all said I should….didn’t even…” She shook her head again. Maleah didn’t want to dwell, but…

“Well, you’re here now.” She smirked as she looked at the tv.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maleah still remembered the tournament. It was so surreal. 

She thought she’d won the right to go up on stage and play the game when she suddenly heard her being name called. The announcer waved her forward and helped her up on her unsteady legs, as the crowd had her nervous. She’d been nothing but a scraggly, rangy kid with wide confused green eyes stumbling up to that gaming console in front of a great crowd. Maleah had no earthly clue why some older kid was telling her ‘She was going down!’ and a bunch of other kids were laughing. 

As her eyes shifted away from the crowd and to the screen, the voices died out. It didn’t totally remove the icy sting of fear in her guts, but with nerves shaky, she’d won. Maleah had gone to leave only for another to come up, and another, and then another until finally….

“We have our winner!” The announcer had come over and took her hand up into the air and the crowd went wild. Confetti fell from above and ‘Winner’ flashed in golden letters all over the screens that were also plastered with her utterly bewildered expression.

It was a bit of a daze after that, lots of voices and faces all coming in way too fast, but she remembered being told she was getting a special prize that she would get in a month’s time. The first copy of the new game….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a month’s time, who knew where she’d be sleeping. Still….it was her home for now. Maleah twirled her green--it had slightly worn sunflowers on it though most only noticed the green-- housekey around it’s keyring on her finger. Listening to the gentle jingle it made as it turned round and round again. Home….

It had all happened so suddenly, neither Maleah or her brother had expecting them both to go so… Maleah shook her head. She didn’t want to dwell on all of it right now. Instead she’d just take a moment and just enjoy something before going back to powering on the PlayStation. “Here we go.”

It hadn’t taken her long to set it all up. Didn’t matter that it had been well over a decade since this PlayStation had been used, it all just came back to her. The old tv fizzled to life and the all too familiar icon flickered across the screen. Maleah had moved some boxes here and there to make a half way comfortable place to be in the dust bunny besieged room. She popped in the disc and heard the system hum to life.

“A quick game won’t hurt…” She muttered to no one, still she looked around the room, and knew it was silly to do so. Maleah was alone, she knew that, no one around to poke their heads in and tell her to stop wasting time.

She then heard the music play. The emblem of the gaming company came across the screen. A smile tugged one her lips. The first game was mostly about fighting, this game promised a whole world to explore. 

Maleah couldn’t help but smirk as the story began to play. The art was nice, well the cutscene art…the actual game monsters looked a bit funky from what she could recall, but given this game was made nearly thirty years ago, it was a hard to be too critical of the game. 

“Many more are waiting to be awakened.” The narrator spoke as the screen went dark.

Dated tech or not, hearing that familiar narrator did help that small tick of a smile grow on Maleah’s face.

Away from the ancient art and to a flickering, fiery scene. A village engulfed in flames, monsters roared, shouts of fear and pain and two figures running from the carnage for all they were worth. Into the wilds, past the woods and into a system of canyons. Trees and stone made up the world now, but they were still being pursued. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holly ran, clutching the disc against her side. A roar came from behind and it was close…too close. She hazarded a look over her shoulder and regretted it. Snapping ebony maws filled with ivory teeth, each one growling for her to stop or for her death. The only thing that saved her was the fact that Black Rexes weren’t known for their speed but, even then, their legs were longer than her own. She couldn’t keep this pace up for long. 

A sound ahead made her gaze snap forward. A blur of pink. Hope rose up in Holly’s chest as she pushed herself to go faster and further. The young woman clutched the disc close as she rounded the bend with everything she had. A golden utensil lowered and pulled her up the side of the ravine as quick as the wielder dared. Holly’s monster, a Switch named Marzipan, pulled her girl up. 

“You were supposed to stay put darlin’.” Marzi panted as she got Holly on solid ground. 

“Couldn’t be helped.” Holly panted with a sheepish smile.

“Stop now and we’ll make it quick!” An armored Black Rex bellowed from below. The dark dinos were trying to make their way up the sides. Several cackled wickedly and snapped their jaws.

“Y’all can chew on these!” Marzipan reached into her fleece and pulled out a handful of pink-red orbs which were quickly flung at the Rexes.

The orbs flew a short distance before exploding. Pink-red smoke, bright flashes and a sickly sweet cherry smell.

“Cherry bombs!” One Black Rex wheezed.

Holly and Marzipan made a run for it as the smoke spread. It would buy them some time, but not much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maleah coughed and waved her hand in front of her face. That cherry smell was making her eyes water. It was so….wait…why could she smell that? Maleah blinked. Maybe it was the air freshener she had sprayed earlier…yeah that had to be it….She wiped her eyes with her thumb and got comfortable again.

It also struck her as odd that the graphics were so good…..it had been a long time since she’d played gamed original game. Still, given the era it came from….Maybe it was nostalgia making this all look so good. She adjusted her hold on her controller.

“We’re here!” Holly’s voice rang out from the screen. 

Maleah’s attention was back fully on the game. Holly and the Switch had made it to the shrine with their disc.

“I wonder what they’re gonna ge-“ Maleahs stopped. “Oh shit! Oh crap! I need a disc to put in!” She got up from her spot. 

Boxes were torn open as Holly ran up to put the disc in the middle of the shrine to be unlocked.

“…Since when did we get this?!” Maleah had found a dvd of the musical Cats. She wasn’t even sure it would work, but it was all she had right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holly had run behind the shrine’s podium and put her hands on the panel. The Gaia stone had led her to this disc for a reason, this could be it, this could be the Phoenix. Holly nodded to Marzipan. Marzi nodded back and kept close to the entrance way with one hand in her fleece.

Holly pressed down. “Unlock.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The PS1 sputtered to a stop and Maleah popped it open. The cats dvd was put in and spun….the old system gave a whine and the tv flickered. 

Loading….loading…..

The words on the screen read.

Loa

It froze.

“Damn it all! Do I have to start again?” Maleah groaned. She opened it again. “Wasted enough time as it is.” She took out the dvd and put the game back in. “Whatever I get, I get…assuming this whole thing hasn’t died.”

The ps1 let out a groan and the screen flashed with colors. The tv shook and there was a bright light.

“Did I seriously find the self-destruct button on this old dusty piece of sh-“ She couldn’t finish the sentence as she was overtaken a powerful sensation. 

Maleah was falling and spinning, the world was pulsing colors, things flying past her to reach the bottom of…bottom of what? Her eyes shifted down to a bright light. Objects were disappearing into it. Were they shattering on impact? Maleah put up her arms to try and brace for whatever was coming.


	2. Game On Part 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super happy with this chapter, but I knew if I didn't post something I wasn't going to get this going.

Normally there was a light and a vague shape when a monster was unlocked. Not so this time. This time there was a bright light from above and things came tumbling down. Perhaps summoning the Phoenix was different than a normal monster. Holly put up her hands to protect herself. Just as she lifted her hands she thought she saw something dark fall through the light.  
\---------

Maleah came down, but it didn’t feel like she landed too hard. Granted she had closed her eyes to save herself from the blinding light, so things could be bad. Thus she could ultimately just be trying to fool herself. Maleah took several breaths and quietly took stock of herself. Mal didn’t feel hurt, but that could be due to shock and adrenaline tricking her brain. It was as she took stock she realized she was on her hands and knees…how? 

Mal opened her eyes and saw a pair of hands, a pair of hands that looked a bit like paws, and they moved when she tried to move her own hands. The moved up and touched her face….these were her hands?! She let out a startled scream and fell back onto her butt.

She was staring at her hands or paws? Something between? Those same limbs began to shake as Maleah’s breathing began to speed up….

“You alright?” A voice called out.

Her eyes snapped over to a young woman, the young woman form the cutscene. Maleah doubled over, clutching her head, and started to laugh.

-

Holly wasn’t too sure what to do. This monster had appeared strangely, it screamed, and now it was in hysterically laughing while chanting ‘This isn’t real, this isn’t real,’ over and over again. 

“Holly, honey, that monster clearly isn’t right.” Marzipan called from her place at the entrance. Her ears twitched, she thought she heard something. “And we’ve got to get of here Holly hun.”

Holly carefully made her way over to the monster a Kitten, a wingless type of Pixie class monster. “Hey.” Holly gently put a hand on the monster’s shoulder. 

The Kitten flinched and the laughter quieted. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong, but we need to get out of here.” Her voice was as gentle as could be.

There was a crash far off. 

“No more time.” Marzi ran over and got Holly to her feet while half carrying and half dragging this new Kitten alongside her. 

Down the twisting stone hallways and out of the crack in the wall just big enough for the group to squeeze through one by one. Marzi again helped the Kitten to her feet before taking off after Holly.

-

Maleah’s head was still spinning amid the chaos of it all as she was sat down. This couldn’t be happening; it just couldn’t be happening! This was premise of some stupid Saturday morning cartoon not real life! She held her head in her hands and winced when she felt one of her new claws prick her skin. That hurt, so this was real, this was really real. She started to breath quickly, too quickly, the world was getting fuzzy.

“Hey.” A hand on her shoulder again.

Holly sat down in front of her. “You’re safe now.” She smiled. “I’m Holly, this is Marzipan or just Marzi, who are you?”

“Maleah.”

Now Holly had expected Kitten, not a name, but the smile on her face never faltered. “It’s nice to meet you Maleah.” 

Maleah could only nod. 

“First time I heard a monster name themselves right out the get go.” Marzi commented.

“I’m not…I’m not a monster. Well not normally.” 

Marzi gave Holly a long hard look and Holly smiled meekly.

“Okay, what are you normally?” Holly asked thoughtfully.

“Human.”

“Holly, did you drop this disc?” Marzi leaned over to her and whispered.

“I am, I can prove it!” Maleah stood up. 

“How the hay you gonna prove that?” Marzi quirked a brow.

“Well some of the durahans are supposedly spirits maybe she has a human spirit and just remembers it?” Holly put her hands up to try and bring some peace.

“Not a durahan, wasn’t dropped on my head! At least I don’t think so, point is I need to get out of here.”

“Okay fine, prove it.” Marzi crossed her arms.

“Marzipan.” Holly put a hand on her arm.

“I was playing a game when I got here and in that game you were running from Black Rexes and had what you thought was the Phoenix disc because you want to defeat Muu.” Maleah said matter of factly.

Their stared at her then each other.

“Just because you have some sort of past sight doesn’t mean you’re human.” Marzipan sputtered once she picked her jaw up from the ground.

“Can you see other things like where the Phoenix is?” Holly looked hopefully at Maleah.

“I don’t have past sight or future sight, point is I know because I saw it this place isn’t…well it’s not real in my world.” She managed to just stop herself form saying it was all fake, that never went well in games. She didn’t need panic, anger, or crying right now. Maleah was doing enough of that on her own right now.

Holly and Marzi looked at one another. “Okay.” Holy said slowly. “Well I don’t know why the Gaia stone lead us to you, but it must be important. Real to you or not, this place is real to us. So, help us and we’ll be happy to help you.” Then her smile grew brighter. “Maybe the Phoenix can help you too once we defeat Muu.”

“Muu’s the guy leading the other monsters right?” Maleah cocked her head.

“He’s the one making the monsters bad, just like the ancients once did.” Holly said firmly.

“Someone can’t make anyone be bad it’s a choice.” Maleah muttered.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” Marzipan glared at her. 

“Hasn’t seen it firsthand so it might be hard to believe, but there’s no way the monsters would act this way if it wasn’t for Muu.” Holly said firmly. “Now, we need to get back to the search for the disc.”

Then something clicked with Holly. Her game station had fallen in with her, what if she needed that?! “We need to go back to the shrine!” 

“Wh-what back where those black rexes are?” Marzi gaped.

“I something that could be important there.” Maleah tried to figure out which way they had come from.

“What could be so important that you would risk your life for?” Marzi shook her head. 

“The disc that brought me here.”

Marzi looked to Holly, Holly had used the Gaia stone to find the way and it was pointing towards the shrine.

“Here we go.” Marzipan sighed and got to her hooves.

-

Getting in wasn’t the problem, staying out of sight was. Feline or not, Maleah still wasn’t used to her legs which meant she was doing her newly found cat heritage down. Still, somehow they made it to the chamber where monsters could be summoned from their discs.

Maleah started going over what was there, she found her banged up Playstation, would she need that? She popped open the gaming console only for it to start to crack in half. It had hit the ground harder than she thought. Now she had the disc in hand at least.

“I’ve never seen a disc like that one before.” Holly stared in awe at the thin silvery disc.

“Yeah it’s from my world.” Maleah didn’t want to explain what it was or how it was made, as she didn’t know the answers to half of that questions that were likely to come forth.

“We should try to summon the monster within, it could house the Phoenix.” Holly excitement nearly made her squeal. 

‘Or a way home.’ Maleah thought.

She let Holly put the disc in the center and went to stand by the strange console. It lit up and Holly lay her hands on the controls. “Unlock.” 

Light came form the disc. A big light.

Marzipan went flying past them and before they could react Maleah felt claws in her shoulder. Holly shouted and slapped a set of claws away.

The light faded and an orb appeared, form this orb a pink orb appeared. This orb unrolled and a mocchi yawned, drowsily rubbing his eyes, taking in the scene without any worry or care. 

The black rexes cackled. “So this is the legendary Phoenix?” One in armor came marching forward and roughly picked up the pink youngster. “Looks more like a little snack.” 

The Mocchi let out a wail. 

“Put them down now!” Holly tried to push her way through the rexes. 

“Oooh I’m so scared!” The armor-clad rex taunted with a smirk.

The other rexes laughed. In that laughter Maleah felt herself get a bit loose and she also found she was much more flexible than she had been. With a flex of her fingers there were claws…..

There was a howl of pain as the rex staged back into the console, one eye dripping blood, and crushed it. This sent a wave of electricity through the monster as well as crackling throughout the suddenly glowing pillars of the chamber. Maleah was free and in the chaos Marzipan got free. Her golden fork stuck the rex commander. The mocchi was dropped to the ground and the commander hit the pillar letting loose a roar of pain as the pillar collapsed. This released more of the electricity as the shrine began to shake and crack. 

Holly grabbed the Mocchi and the group made their way out of the crumbling space.

-

They ran and ran, they ran till their legs gave out. 

Maleah doubled over onto the ground gasping for air. “Did we…. did we lose them?” She panted. 

“I think so.” Holly slowly sank to the ground and let the mochii go.

“So not a Phoenix, but a lil bean of a monster.” Maleah half laughed, she had to laugh at this point it was the only way to keep from crying.

“Bean?” The mocchi cocked their head.

“He did look like a little bean all rolled up.” Holly laughed as well.

The mocchi grinned. “Bean!” He threw up his hands.

“Oh no, we can do better than that sweet pea.” Marzipan shook her head.

“No no, not Sweet Pea, am Bean!” The mocchi nodded resolutely. 

“Bean it is.” Maleah rolled so she was on her back. “Welcome to the world Bean!” She threw up her arms in defeat.

Bean let out a squeal of delight and proceeded to tackle and hug her. ‘This place is going to drive me mad.’ Maleah thought as she felt Bean nuzzle her, but she just had to keep it together till she got a way home.


	3. Bean Thinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bean's a young monster, is he really cut out for all of this?
> 
> Matthew and Lily are an old couple form the show, more on them in the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidenote, in the show the big baddie is master Moo. In japanese his name is Mu which is based on the word for evil....so in my story I combined the two so Muu, as....I prefer it and honestly how I thought it was spelled as a kid.

At first Maleah had hoped she was going to wake up. Just, come to having fallen asleep in the attic and get back to work. Yet every day for the last week she had woken up here. Woken up to sleeping on a tarp on the dirt. Woken up to Marzipan or Holly shaking her awake because they had to move in the middle of the night. Woken up to take her turn to take watch for the night. Truth be told there was only one thing that really kept her from fully believing this was real. 

Maleah had discovered she could not cuss. She found it out after stubbing her toe. Granted it had not been the toe stub that fully triggered her rage. No, it was being sore, running, walking, training, and lack of food that had piled up through the days. The toe stub had just been the straw that broke the camel’s back as it were. Point was she had intended to let fly with a wealth of profanity, but what flew from her mouth was…” Mother bucking son of a biscuit!” It was close, but certainly not what she had meant to say. It would be funny if it wasn’t so annoying. 

Speaking of annoying there was Bean. The young Mocchi, for reasons Maleah could not fathom had imprinted on her especially. Granted Bean was sweet to Marzipan and seemed fond of Holly as well, Bean seemed to have a special place in his little pink heart for her. All it did was hammer home five hundred times over how Maleah never wanted children. So many questions, insisting to be carried when he got tired, needing to be walked to get a drink at the stream or from the canteen. How the hell had her parents done this?! It was nice he wasn’t a baby, but still it was so annoying holy hell fire it was bad! 

Due to the constant presence and semi-constant annoyance from the little Mocchi it had let her know something. Maleah now knew she could still think cuss words but couldn’t say them for some reason. Her going theory was it was due to the game’s rating. Though she hadn’t heard anyone else cuss yet….so only time would truly tell if that was the case or if cussing simply couldn’t be done period or simply didn’t exist.

Pondering on such things were seldom as there was just so much to do each day. Get firewood, find food, find fresh water, get to a safe place to sleep, build a fire, keep watch, and train. Dear lord and all that was holy and unholy the fucking training!

The human turned monster was so sore not only from her sleeping conditions and constant moving around, but from training. Marzipan was no fighter, but she knew more than Maleah did that was for sure. In the back of her mind Maleah recalled that the Pixie line had attacks connected to fire, but she had no earthly idea how to summon flames. Thankfully, the Kato side of her monster state was a bit easier. Just using claws, and she was getting the hang of those. The plus side to the training was she was so tired from it and the walking that sleeping most nights was no problem. 

This morning she had awoken to Marzipan and Holly quietly whispering to each other….and Bean’s foot in her face. Maleah carefully got up without waking Bean and made her way over to them.

“He’s so little and small, it’s not safe for him to travel with us.” Holly looked to Marzipan.

“Mocchi’s are always gonna be small darlin’, but I do agree he’s too young for all this.” The Switch nodded solemnly. “I don’t even know if I can train him to fight.” She sighed.

“Hasn’t stopped you from training me.” Maleah sat down on the other side of the two. 

“You’re a grown monster, an odd one, but a grown one nonetheless.” Marzipan retorted.

“Still we’re not too different. I mean I have no idea what I’m doing and neither does Bean, so what’s stopping you form doing the same? Just heal him up like you heal me up when training is over.” Maleah shrugged.

Holly shifted slightly and fiddled with her the stone around her neck. “He’s just so…..”

“Small? Cute? Young? Pink?” Maleah quirked her brown at the copper haired young woman.

The last one got a half smile out of Holly. “Well he is all that, but the point it’s dangerous right now. What we’re trying to do could really put him in danger.”

“So what would we do with Bean? Wake up early and leave him behind? Give him to some stranger?” Maleah cocked her head.

“We aren’t doing the first one sug.” Marzipan said firmly. 

“Figured we won’t, but that doesn’t answer my question. If he isn’t staying with us and he’s not going to be expected to fight, then the option is to leave him with some random strangers as…. well I certainly won’t know anyone around here.”

“I can fight.”

Three pairs of eyes whipped towards the little voice. Bean had woken up and was standing not too far off, the young monster was wavering between looking outraged and bursting into tears. 

“I’m sure you could once you’re older it’s just….” Holly made her way to Bean, but wasn’t sure what to say.

There was a boom from overhead. It seemed that the clouds that had been lingering for the last few days decided now was the time to release their deluge. The group quickly packed up and made for a more covered area. There was a tense silence as they waited for the rain to pass.

===========

It had rained all day and continued to pour through the night. Mercifully, it was little more than a minor drizzle by the late morning, so they were on the move again. While the weather did eventually clear up the same could not be said about the tension for the tension in the air. 

Maleah didn’t necessarily feel bad for what she said, as had overheard Holly and Marzipan saying much the same…granted in softer terms. That said she supposed her regret was from Bean having heard her specifically say those things. The young Mocchi had been keeping his distance from her.

Bean was determined to prove himself today. The Mocchi didn’t complain during his walk, didn’t harass them with questions and only drank water when it was offered. It was a quiet walk. Unsettlingly quiet given the days of sounds that Maleah had begrudgingly become accustomed too. It was so quiet she hard something in the distance. Her ears twitched.

“You hear it?” Marzipan grinned.

“Yeah, what is it?” Maleah cocked her head as she tried to pinpoint it.

“A town.” Marzi pointed her fork forward.

Maleah squinted and sure enough in the distance….there was a village. “How the….”

“You truly aren’t’ a monster if couldn’t hear that.” Marzipan laughed and gently tugged on of Maleah’s ears.

“At least you believe me now.” Maleah swatted Marzi’s hand away and shook her head.

Holly laughed lightly.

Bean blinked and opened his mouth for a moment, but quickly closed it and kept walking.

=

Maleah couldn’t help the smile on her face as they came into town. There were so many monsters here! It was amazing! She’d seen pictures of them, the sprites had always been a bit funky, but they were so much better than she imagined. More than once she had been caught (and even caught herself) staring at them.

Golems, Dinos, Suezos, and Tigers of all kinds. Granted most were the ‘vanilla’ types of their respective monsters, but it was still all so….If it wasn’t for Marzi occasionally tugging her ear or Holly pulling her along she’d have sworn she was dreaming. Still it was for the best she stop gawking, they had things to do.

Holly was working on replenishing their supplies. With four mouths to feed they had gone through a lot and there wasn’t always something in the wilds to add in order to better stretch out their meals. Marzipan’s wool could hold things, which Maleah found odd but it was quite handy, and Maleah had offered to carry a pack to help out if need be. 

“I can carry too.” Bean said confidently.

“We’d have to find you a pack and we only have enough for one more.” Holly said gently.

“I can carry lots! If I carry lots I can get stronger. If I get stronger, I can help defeat Muu!” Bean puffed up.

It was like someone flipped a switch. The buzzing town suddenly went quiet. Maleah slowly looked around and glanced at Holly.

“W-what did you say?” The shopkeeper stared wide eyed.

“We will fight Muu and I will help!” Bean looked proud.

The shopkeeper grabbed up his items and snapped his window shut. 

The stillness was broken up by a flurry of motion and muffled voices. Holly turned just in time to see the other shops following suit. Maleah heard people running away and doors slamming. The streets were deserted in no time flat. Marzipan leaned against her golden utensil and sighed. 

Maleah rubbed her face and glanced at Holly.

“We can just go to another shop, I’m sure somewhere else is open.” It was supposed to be a statement, but it sounded more like a question.

Maleah and Marzi exchanged looks, but neither said anything.

Bean looked around in confusion as the group went about trying their luck through the town.

===========

Five hours, they had been trying to get a pack and supplies for five hours!

Maleah wanted to flip people off as she knew she couldn’t cuss. Yet she found she couldn’t make that gesture. Damn this rated E for everyone setting! She wondered once again if the others were bound by this rule, but at this point didn’t want to ask. She knew it would just lead to more questions and right now she just didn’t have the patience for it.

They were making their way out of town when an older man pulling a cart caught them just on the outskirts. He’d taken one look at them an offered them a place to rest in his barn if they helped him with some chores come the morning, he even threw in a meal.

Maleah was somewhat skeptical, but mostly she was tired and hungry. Holly and Marzi jumped the offer. Even Bean perked up. 

He held the door for them and introduced himself as Matthew and his wife was Lily. Their group introduced themselves to their unexpected hosts.

Lily immediately fussed over Bean. Bean at first resisted, but quickly warmed up to being cuddled.

Matthew was also smitten with Bean.

The three women exchanged a look.


	4. Tough Bean Part 1/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bean's such a young monster...can he really help or even survive what this quest is going to ask of those one it?

It was easy for Maleah to see the appeal of Bean. He was cute and she had to agree. Although, Maleah had thought many things were cute. Some of the things she could cute weren’t traditionally considered cute, but with Bean she could easily see why. Bean was round, covered in pale pink downy feathers or fur (she couldn’t figure out which), a yellow beak like mouth that was almost always in a smile, he had bright pink toe beans, black button eyes, and little downy pale pink mittens for hands. 

Yes, Bean certainly fit the traditional formula for cute. The hard green plates that ran from his forehead all the way down to form a little nub of a tail was open for debate, but Maleah thought there were alright. Though that could be her appreciation for the not so traditional. 

While Matthew and Lily were indeed smitten with Bean, they were also quite sweet to the rest of them. Marzipan was helping Lily with dinner prep. Holly helped Matthew set the table. Which left Maleah and Bean with another task…firewood. God, she missed electricity. She picked up the hatchet by the woodpile and got to work. As Maleah began to chop her mind started to drift.

=

“Why did you make me do this if I didn’t know what I was doing?” Maleah’s heart was hammering double time in her chest.

“Why would you do this if you didn’t know what you were doing?! You trying to hack your foot off or some dumb shit?” Torvald shouted back at her.

“I tried to tell you I didn’t know but you weren’t listening.” Maleah didn’t bother giving her brother eye contact. 

“It’s easy look!” Torvald got the wood in place, spread his feet, had the axe in hand and effortlessly split the log. “See! If you weren’t so…so….you’d be able to do this yourself.”

“Not everyone is big and strong like you Torvald.” Maleah muttered.

She heard the axe hit the dirt. “You got something to say to me?” His tone told her everything.

It was that light snarl or groan right before a something gave out, like a dam about to burst as the flood waters lapped over the top, and there was no way to stop it.

“Let’s just get the wood back to the firepit and toast marshmallows, please Tor.” Maleah went back to looking at the ground.

“If you got something to say to me just say it already!” She heard Tor send bits of wood flying. 

Maleah bent down to pick up an armful just so she could head back to where their family was sitting.

“Hey talk to me.” Tor was standing in front of her when she turned back around.

“I….I really don’t want to talk right now.” It was true. Maleah really didn’t want to talk right now. She was too anxious too….scared….Tor was terrifying when he was angry. 

“Oh my God you’re so God damned sensitive! Are you really crying?!”

Maleah hadn’t been….now she was…

“You’re so damn sensitive get over it!” Torvald stormed away and she heard more wood getting chopped.

She carried the wood back to the firepit and went inside without a word. Maleah didn’t feel like toasted marshmallows by the fire right now.

=

Maleah didn’t know how long she’d been chopping wood, it was pretty mechanical. Her father had showed her how to do it properly in case she wanted to use the firepit when he or Torvald wasn’t home. He was patient and good about that stuff. Thus Maleah had been able to learn, not that she could ever appreciate at the time that this was going to be relevant or useful. Yet she appreciated her father taking the time to show her in a gentler way and for doing his best to make her feel better.

So, with what Maleah knew she was able to fall into an easy rhythm that had let her mind wander. Wander all the way back to someplace ugly. Why was her mind always wandering into ugly places? She put another log on the block and was about to chop it when a callused hand carefully took her wrist. Making Maleah nearly jumped out of her skin.

“I think that’s plenty.” Matthew said gently. 

The old man took the axe and placed it next to the wood pile. Maleah looked around. Indeed, there was quite the stack of chopped wood. “Sorry I just got a bit distracted.” Maleah shook her head and bent down to start gathering wood for the fire. 

Once more Matthew’s hand was on her shoulder. “Your little Mocchi friend, Bean, brought in more than enough.” His voice was so gentle.

‘Why the hell did that make her want to cry?’ Maleah thought furiously to herself. Instead she took a deep breath. “Alright,” She put what she had gathered back with the firewood pile.

Matthew patted her shoulder and walked with her into the house.

=

Dinner was amazing. Not that Holly was a bad cook, Maleah wasn’t one to call the kettle black as it were, but this was just so good. The until recently human Kitten had seconds. Lily and Matthew were like a fairytale set of grandparents. Sweet, hospitable, patient, kind, but undeniably lonely. 

Maleah didn’t see anything that indicated they had family in their lives. No photos, no toys for grandchildren, not even a portrait. When they made their way to sleep in the barn they were instead ushered to one of many guest rooms. Matthew said that he had built this house with his bare hands long ago with lots of room for their future family, so there was plenty of room. Again, no sign that children or grand children had ever been in this place. A future family….Maleah didn’t need any further explanation. She understood and simply thanked Matthew, as did the others.

Bean seemed to fall asleep the minute his head hit the pillow. “Do you think we should leave him here?” Holly asked quietly.

Maleah turned to face her. “You guessed it too?”

“It’s hard not to sug.” Marzipan’s ears were down.

“But should we?” Holly pressed.

Maleah rubbed her forehead. “Well, let’s look at the facts.” She let out a sigh. “Our situation is weird and dangerous. We’re on a mission that involves random attacks, fighting other monsters at a moments notice, we don’t know where we’re going, we don’t have a lot of money, and we don’t even have consistent food supply. Not exactly the safest situation for a little kid. Plus, Mocchi doesn’t seem interested in fighting.”

“Well he likes spending time with us and wants to go up against Muu.” Holly offered, but it was a weak offer.

“He’s little and sees us as his heroes…of course he’s gonna try and be like us.” Marzipan pointed out.

“He might not want to stay, but it might be better for him.” Maleah signed and leaned against the headboard of the bed. “I can barely fight, Marzipan isn’t really a fighter….more healer and scout….no offense.” She put up her paw-hands up.

“She’s not wrong.” Marzipan sighed. “One less back to watch isn’t a bad thing.”

“Wrong.” There was the sound of the window opening. Bean had gotten up and with tears in his eyes was standing in front of the open window. “Wrong.” Tears were streaming down Bean’s downy pink face. “I’m gonna fight Muu all on my own!” He popped out of the window and into the night.

=

They agreed to meet back at the house by sunrise as it turned out Bean had been faster than they thought. The three split up and did their best to assure their hosts all was well, but worry painted their features. Holly was going to check the town. Marzipan was going to check the other farms on the west side and Maleah would check the same on the east side. They split.

Maleah checked anything she thought Bean could squeeze into or hide. She wasn’t having any luck on the ground, so she set her eyes higher. New or not to this she’d managed to become an okay climber. Into barns to check for Bean and scanning from rooftops. Maleah really hoped nobody woke up and found it as this would be awkward to explain. It was as she began to make her way down that something caught her eye. 

Movement. It didn’t seem to be too far away and it was the first bit of promise she’d gotten regarding Bean. Maleah took off while wishing there was a way to get hold of Holly and Marzipan. She slowed down wondering if she was on the right track, just as she was about to backtrack, she heard something. Maleah moved towards the sound only to have something crash into her…something pink.

“Bean?” Maleah went to pick up the little guy when she noticed he was holding something a disc.

“Save from baddies! Saved them from baddies!” Bean held up the disc and seemed proud of himself.

“What bad-“ She was cut off by a snarl.

A snarl reached her ears. Her eyes leapt to the source and there were the rag tag remnants of the Black Rexes. Seems they were hoping to boost their numbers as this was less than half of the group that had originally attacked them….the temple collapse had done a number on them. It was still too much for Maleah, so she took Bean and ran.

She didn’t know what to do as she ran. The town didn’t seem to have anyone that was willing to fight. Who knew where Marzipan? Even then she was so far away it was likely she’d never hear Maleah’s calls for help. Maleah also knew she couldn’t keep this up for long. The training had started to make her stronger, but she had a long way to go still and Bean was heavy as was the disc.

Maleah turned and headed into a grove of trees, she hoped the trees would be too thick for them to pursue her. The trees were not as dense as she had hoped and the grove stopped in front of what looked like an old quarry. Her claws dug into the dirt as skidded to a sudden stop. Maleah panted as a roar forced her to turn back around. One Black Rex came raging out of the forest at full steam. A roll to the side sent him tumbling down to the rocks far below. The quarry was no longer at her back, but it was still too close for comfort and the other Rexes had arrived. They were not pleased.

Maleah put Bean down and got him behind her. “You need to drop the disc and run.” She half whispered half hissed to the Mocchi.

“No what if it’s the Pheonix? What if it is made a baddie if I leave it?” Bean held the disc close.

“I don’t know how long I can keep them busy! Just drop it! Run, go find Marzipan! Go get help!”

“I can help!” Bean puffed up.

Maleah didn’t get to retort, she’d let her guard down and one of the Rexes took advantage. The cat monster was sent flying. Maleah just managed to keep herself from going over. Her claws dug into the dirt as she made to haul herself all the way back. Another roar. “Nine lives are up kitty cat!” The Rexes cheered as one stalked over to her.

A pink and green orb struck the Rex in the jaw. The Rex let out an angry roar and went to snap at the offending ball, but it was too fast. The orb bounced back up and struck them once again. This time the Rex fell to the ground out cold. Unfortunately the other rexes didn’t stay stunned for long, but Maleah had gotten herself back up and felt something. As she extended her claws ready to fight she felt something hot under her skin and racing to the tips of her fingers. She didn’t know what it was, but she hoped it would help.


	5. Tough Bean Part 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was orginally supposed to all be one chapter, but it jsut got too long. Trying to find a good chapter length here...so expect some fluctuations , but hoping to find the 'just right' spot.

Bean was spinning and hitting another of the Rexes that was attacking them. The green plates on his back prefect for dealing as well as protecting from damage. He felt himself bounce off of the Rex’s head and into the night air. Had she had proper time to watch, Maleah would have been jealous. Bean fought with such ease and grace…it was like the young monster had been doing this his whole life! That said Maleah wasn’t sitting idle. 

Maleah had let that burning sensation flow and flames had appeared. It had alarmed her at first and rightfully so! The flames that came from the palms of her hands did not burn her, but they most certainly burned the Rexes that she laid said hands upon. Roars and snarls of pain filled the once quiet night. 

The Black Rexes were already bruised and beaten when Bean had encountered them, no doubt still recovering from the first meeting, but they weren’t all fools. A scant few chose to flee while there more pig headed counter parts chose to battle on. The dust settled and only two monsters were left standing amid the small patch of lost discs.

Maleah slid to sit down, but couldn’t really sit still. The adrenaline was making her body shake and her heart pound against her ribcage. Bean came rolling up and popped back into his original form. “Tough Bean. So I stay.” He grinned at her.

Maleah couldn’t help but laugh. “You sure are.” She patted his shoulder. “You sure are Bean.”

He gave a squeal of pure delight and went to get the disc. Maleah managed to get onto her shaky legs. 

=

The sun began to make it’s way up form the horizon. Maleah paused in the middle of the temple. She recalled the deal with Holly and Marzipan. “Hey Bean, can you do me a favor?” She called.

Bean came bouncing back. 

“Can you go back to the farm and bring everyone here? I want them to be here to meet the new monster and I’m not up for much running.” Maleah was leaning against the doorway. 

Bean gave a dutiful salute and handed her the disc. He rolled up and went bouncing off towards Matthew and Lily’s home. She’s kill for half of that energy. Maleah shook her head, straightened up, and Maleah made her way inside.

=

She had placed the disc in in the middle of the shrine and was standing in front of the podium. Maleah had been there for a little while when a thought bubbled up. Could she unlock monsters? She wasn’t sure. Maleah laid her hand on the panel and gently pressed down. Nothing seemed to happen Though she supposed that made sense. Couldn’t have monsters unlocking other monsters….Then it lit up.

As the light faded a small light brown monster, with dark brown patches, two bumps of what could be the beginnings of horns on the back of their head, and a big pair black button eyes blinked up from the place where the disc had been. It was type of Dino or maybe a Rex of some kind. They attempted to stand but tumbled over on their spindly legs. The Dino let out a little squeak. Maleah helped them back up and they felt like they were made out of velvet. 

“Welcome to the world.” Maleah patted their equally velvety head.

The monster gave a happy little squeak.

“Oooh!” She heard someone coo.

Maleah turned to see Lily, Matthew, Bean, Holly, and Marzipan standing in the doorway. Lily had her hands over her mouth. “What a precious little Spot Dino.” She cooed again.

“Sorry I meant to wait, but curiosity got the better of me.” Maleah got back up.

The Spot Dino got up and managed to stay standing on their unsteady legs. They took a step forward and went to greet the newcomers. Holly was clearly smitten, as was Marzipan, but there was worry. This little one was much younger than Bean and even less able to protect themselves. Maleah looked at the Dino, looked to Holly, and then to Matthew and Lily who were cooing over the little monster. 

Maleah picked up the Spot Dino and held the small monster out to Matthew. “We’ve got a long way to go and this little one can’t come with us safely. I can’t think of anyone else who could raise them up and take better care of Spot here than you two. That is if you want to.” Maleah smiled.

Matthew too had tears running down has face as he took the Spot Dino into his arms and held the little monster close. “We’d be honored.” He fought back a sob. 

=

Four days. It had been four days before Matthew and Lily finally let them leave. Though, to be fair the others hadn’t wanted to leave either. Matthew and Lily radiated enough familial love that Maleah herself had to stopped just short of calling them Grandma and Grandpa. Human turned monster was certain she could never leave if she made such a slip up. She was, however, also fairly certain Holly felt the same way. Holly didn’t say it, but it was clear in her eyes and the way she talked to the pair.

On the day they were leaving Matthew and Lily had not let them, despite their protests, empty handed. To be fair they had given them a lot of things they had needed. Maleah now had a pack to carry things and even a sleeping bag. Food and even a little bit of coin they had insisted they take with them. Apparently, the old pair had heard them talking about troubles with food and money. Maleah was pretty sure that this old pair would have gifted them the barn if they could have found a way for it to travel along side the group. Their kindness and genuine affection made it so hard to leave.

The four of them made their way out of the tiny farmstead, promising again and again they would come back for a visit when they could. Waving and calling back to them till they were far far out of range. It was a quiet for the first part of their walk. Thankfully, Bean broke the silence. “Wanna see where we fought the baddies?”

“We?” Marzipan and Holly looked from Bean to Maleah.

“Yeah, we fought them.” She nodded. “There’s some lost discs at some old quarry….” It suddenly donned on Maleah that she had killed other living sentient beings. “There’s some discs there…..”

“Hey, hey it’s alright.” Holly had come over to her. “Once we revive the Phoenix all the lost monsters will come back.”

Maleah blinked, just the monster? She managed to stop herself from giving voice to that thought and simply nodded.

Holly smiled. “It’s going to be okay the Phoenix will make everything better. The lost monsters will come back and the monsters Muu made evil will become good again.” She turned back towards the path. 

Bean cocked his head and seemed to have completely forgotten about the skirmish spot and instead eagerly asked Holly where they would go next. Holly brought out the Gaia stone and waited for it to guide them.

The Kitten was grateful for the change as she didn’t want to go to what was, however temporarily, a grave yard. Yet she still Maleah had to bite her tongue to keep quiet. She didn’t believe that something could ‘make’ someone be evil. Actions were a choice, but she to remind herself that this world wasn’t ruled by all the same things her home world was. There was magic at play here and while not an expert on the subject Maleah had always been a bookworm and fantasy was one of her favorites. In all her reading whenever the subject came up dark magic required people to agree on some level or fed on something within those that came under its control. 

=

The farm was just speck on the horizon when they decided to make camp. Marzipan had insisted on some training, she wanted to see what Bean could really do as well as the fact the road ahead went through rocky terrain that wouldn’t be the best for sleeping. 

Bean was thrilled to show off. He rolled up and spun around the campsite. The little Mocchi could break rocks if he got his momentum up enough, but mostly left rather impressive cracks upon the stone. It certainly let Holly and Marzi know that it was no mistake to have Bean along for the trip.

Maleah was also able to use her flames to start a fire and the other two, Holly and Marzipan, were certain she could summon proper fireballs like other Pixies could if she kept at it. That both amazing and terrifying.

They ate just as the sunset and watched as the dark sky filled with stars. 

Maleah thought she heard a sniffled come from Holly and carefully put a hand on her shoulder. She felt the young red head stiffen. “Hey, we’ll go back to visit them…once this is all over and I’m sure they’d love to have company again.” She offered gently.

Holly nodded and turned to face Maleah as she wiped her eyes. “Yeah, yeah they would and we really should.” She managed a meek smile. 

This was one of the few times Maleah hated being right, but at least Holly knew she wasn’t alone in her thoughts. “Go back for a visit once the Phoenix does his thing. Who knows how big Spot is going to be, heck he might take up a whole pillow and not just a basket.”

Holly laughed. “He could take up a whole bed.”

“Yeah, but that’s what the next visit is for.” Maleah shrugged.

“Right, the next time we all go to see them.” Holly nodded and laid back on the grass.

Maleah felt a slight tug on her heart and she fumbled her housekey. “Yeah. When we all go.”


	6. Among the Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is wondering what the monsters look like go here https://monster-rancher.fandom.com/wiki/Monster_Rancher_Wiki
> 
> Also we meet Golem, who will be betting a name as well...just not right now.

Matthew and Lily were far far away now. In fact any town what so ever seemed far away. Through the rocky plains and over meadows. Nights spent under starry skies with bits of cloud here and there. Nothing but open land for miles for the last few days. Until there was a dark patch on the horizon. A dark blotch that the Gaia stone beckoned them to. The dark patch was a forest. Tall ancient trees towered and crowded together, they blocked out nearly all the sunlight from what they could see.

Once again Holly pulled out the Gaia stone, sure enough it called them to go on ahead. Clouds gathered high above. As they stepped into the undergrowth the heavens lout out a dull rumble. “Well at least we’ll be dry.” Maleah noted tersely. 

=

The forest did not keep them dry. Winds howled through the trees, snapping of branches and twigs, and rain came driving down in cold stinging needles. There was the not so distant rumble of thunder. Rain wouldn’t be so bad to move through, but lightning among tress…that could be deadly and Maleah didn’t want to find out how a ‘reset’ felt in world.

The winds pushed the clouds to the side, briefly allowing the moon to illuminate the world. Holly turned to look at Maleah, and she nodded to the girl. There was a fortress, or castle, in a clearing not too far away. If they booked it, the could get there before the storm hit them any harder and hopefully be safe. The group made a dash woods and broke from the tree line just as the moon was swallowed by the clouds once more. 

They made it to the door just as a flash of lightning danced across the sky and thunder rumbled far closer than they would have liked. Marzipan pulled the giant, old, wooden door open and the others scampered inside. The Switch pulled the door shut and shook herself off once inside. “This water is gonna make my wool frizzy come morning.” She sighed and rung out a tuft.

“Well hopefully it won’t be raining still come morning.” Maleah rung out her hair.

Holly looked around. “Think anyone lives here?”

There was another flash of lightning once again. This place was in ruins. A crumbled wall, vines growing here and there, breaking through the ceiling and pulling apart walls, and bits of rubble.

Maleah looked around “Oh yes this prefect palace just screams lived in.” She smirked and then shrugged as she tried to squeeze the rain out of her poncho.

“Prefect palace?” Holly half smiled.

“I like alliteration.” The Kitten shrugged, then wondered if Holly knew what alliteration was.

“Oh so you like word play.” Holly lit up.

Question answered.

“But you’re right, we’ll just explain and I’m sure they’d understand…plus we’ll stay by the door.” Holly looked to the trio only to see raised hackles on Maleah and Marzipan.

Holly spun and was face to face with a giant stone figure…a Golem.

Another flash of lightning, right outside the walls of the castle, and the deafening roar of thunder. The Golem took a step forward. Hands were on Holly immediately. Maleah and Marzi had pulled her as well as Bean behind them. The Golem stopped, regarded them for a moment, then turned and disappeared down the hallway he had come from. “Storm over squishing.” Maleah hissed and Marzi nodded.

“No.”

The pair of monsters turned to look at Holly with wide disbelieving eyes.

“No, the stone lead us here, so we need to be here.” Holly said firmly.

Marzi and Maleah looked at one another. “Check the stone sug, just to be sure.” Marzipan said.

Holly obliged. The Gaia stone shone towards where the Golem had gone. Marzipan rubbed her face.

“Okay, we’ll sleep by the door…In shifts and then go exploring in the morning. I don’t want our hulking ‘host’ to surprise us in the dark.” Maleah sighed.

Holly smiled. “Sounds like a good idea Mal.”

Maleah blinked, been a while since anyone called her that. “We’ll see.” 

=

They had only just gotten comfortable when they heard heavy footsteps. The Golem was returning.

Maleah had no clue what she could do against stone. There were three fighters now, but what the hell could the do against stone?! Mal fleetingly wondered if she’d get a game over screen when the Golem put down an armful of firewood. The group stared at the Golem.

“Rain is cold. Get soaked, get sick, not good. Warmth from the fire will help.” He said matter of factly. “Stay till storm is over. Safer. Stay here tonight…please.” He put his hand on the pile of wood and then went back down the hallway.

“…..So he really is our host.” Holly said quietly.

Maleah let out a short nervous laugh.

=

Sleep came despite the storm, the fear, and the cold stone floor. That said the light on Mal’s face dragged her from the dream world before she really wanted to awakened. She sat up slowly and rubbed her face. The early morning sun was blazing through a giant crack in the wall, right onto her and nobody else. Maleah carefully got out of her sleeping pile and was drawn to the impromptu opening by the sound of birds and the warmth of the sun. If she was going to be up early she was going to enjoy it she supposed.

Maleah stepped outside and the sun felt so nice. It’s warmth eating away where the cold from the stone had soaked into her. She purred and stretched more fully in the warmth, maybe this was why cats slept in sunny patches, but it wasn’t time for a nap. Another yawn and her eyes fully adjusted to the bright morning landscape. There were birds, trees, grass, flowers of all kinds, and lost discs….lost discs everywhere. The sun did nothing for the icy dread that crawled form her stomach and up her spine.

Mal’s ears shot up as she heard heavy footfalls. The Golem was coming out from the ruined fortress and was holding something tightly in his raised fist. She felt so stupid. Maleah had fallen for every horror trope! Stormy night and an abandoned looking building. Go to abandoned looking place to seek shelter, only to find scary host that seemed hospitable. Then discover host’s terrible secret and die! Now she was going to die! Maleah had always wondered how people could be so stupid in horror movies and thought she’d never be that dumb, yet here she was!

Maleah backed up, she couldn’t lead him to the others, but…she couldn’t leave without them. She was still backing up when the Golem stopped. He opened his raise fist and birds started to land on him. From his hand she saw birds coming to get something….seeds….they had seeds in their little beaks.

She could feel her heart pounding in her ears as the Golem turned and regarded her. “Sleep well?”

“….Like a rock.” Mal said meekly.

The Golem actually smiled at that.

“So….you tend the garden and the birds.” She was not going to address the elephant in the room as it were.

“I protect this place. The lost deserve a peaceful rest.”

Well that cold feeling was back again. She glanced at him, but his eyes weren’t on her. They were resting on the many lost discs that littered the space. “Long long ago a battle was fought here. Many died and many more after their injuries. So much fighting, hurt, and sorrow. I stay. I watch. I protect.” His tone was somber now.

“Doesn’t it get lonely here, all by yourself?” 

Both turned to see Holly at the opening. The Golem straightened up. “Storm has passed. Take the time you need to get ready. Then Golem will show you best way out of the forest.” He headed back into the ruins once more.

=

It took an obscene amount of time to get Mazipan’s wool to calm down, so waking up early proved to be a boon in that regard. Second priority was breakfast. The fear of having to bolt had made them wary to get too comfortable and now their empty stomachs rumbled. Thus they ended up taking the Golem’s offer to take their time. Though some seemed more keen on taking their time than others.

Holly kept an eye on the hallways and always went to talk with the Golem whenever she could see him nearby. Maleah wasn’t sure if she was brave or naïve….so she settled on a bit of both. Mal could hear bits and pieces. She was telling the Golem their names, about their quest, where they had come from, and what they had seen so far. The giant stone man just soaked it all in with a gentle smile. The Golem was clearly lonely and was savoring this company. It was nearly noon when finally there was nothing left for them to do, so the Golem lead them to the thinner portion of the forest. There were blue stones on the path. “Follow the stones. It is safe and will lead you out.” He nodded and turned to leave.

“You’re welcome to come with us Golem.” Holly looked to the towering guardian.

The Golem shifted in his place and then looked back towards the garden of lost dics. “I must protect this place.”

Holly just managed to hide her disappointment. “We’ll visit you on the way back, we have some others we promised to visit.” She smiled.

“Golem would like that.” He smiled.

He waved goodbye as the group made their way out of the forest. They didn’t know how soon they would see the Golem again.


	7. A Rolling Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Golem joins the party!

Given what they were the storm did little to them, but it made navigation through the forest difficult. So, they choose to wait it out. They’d lost their shapes and slept, looking like puddles on the ground, but morning had come and the captain stirred from his slumber. The Jell captain, a blue humanoid with a red sphere in the center of his chest, stretched and yawned. 

His body stretched and bent in seemingly unnatural ways, but it was completely natural for a Jell. He reached down to retrieve his helmet and called to his Jell troops. “Alright men!” He looked at the dozen Jell assembled before him. 

Master Muu had given them the task of retrieving mystery discs from the forest and if one was smart one would aim to please said master. The captain saw some hesitation in his troops. It was true there was supposedly a large monster guarding the discs, but nothing could be as big or as terrifying as Master Muu. He reminded his troops such a fact, nobody disputed that, and he lead his group into the forest. Unaware that one of his troops hadn’t woken up.

=

They had just made it out of the forest, but Holly couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder. 

“Holly, we offered him a chance to come along.” Holly turned to face Maleah.

“I know, but…I just can’t stop thinking about it. He’s there all alone.” Holly’s face fell. “With nothing and nobody around.”

“It’s his choice sug, we gotta respect that.” Marzipan put a hand on her shoulder.

“I know, but….” Holly shook her head.

“Why don’t we ask the stone where to g-“.” Mal had spun to face them, but took a few steps backwards only to step into something.

A lightning bolt made of ice shot from her foot, up her spine, and straight into her brain. It registered as an extreme sensation of nope. 

“Hey!” An angry voice gurgled. A blue-ish humanoid hand seized her foot and sent the Kitten flying.

Maleah spun in the air and landed on her feet. “That Jell is with Muu!” Holly called out. Sure, enough there on around his neck was the sigil of Muu. 

“That’s right we’re all...wait. Wait? What?! Where are the…the others…I overslept again!” The Jell called out in despair and made a mad dash to the forest. 

“Muu really scraped the bottom of the barrel when he enlisted someone like him.” Maleah noted.

Marzipan laughed.

“What could Muu want in those for- the Golem!“ Holly cried out.

“But those are all lost discs and only the Phoenix can bring them back.” Marzipan pointed out.

“What if they don’t know that!” Holly headed back into the forest with Bean right behind her.

=

Golem went about his day.

He carefully tended to the flowers among the discs. He had gathered nuts and berries for the birds, safely storing them for later, and now he was going to get water for them. Yet this felt…. hallow.

Golem knew what troubled him but dared not name the feeling. He wished they had stayed for longer. He could have….no…. their journey was dangerous and there would be fighting. Fighting only lead to pain and suffering. Golem would not be a part of such a thing if he could help it. He was nearly to the spring when the loud call of birds caught his attention. A great flock of them were leaving the castle. He paused. Had they come back? 

No. They had a long journey….but what if they had. Perhaps they had taken a wrong turn and simply come back…yes that was possible. The sun would soon be lost behind the horizon. Golem perked up slightly and started his way back to his home. Yes another night with them would be nice and perhaps Golem would simply walk with them part way this time. Then they would not be lost…. For none should be lost. 

He made it back to his home as quickly as his stone legs would allow, only to find it was not Holly and her friends. No, they were new to him and they were pulling at the lost dics.

“Muu will find a use for these I’m sure of it! Gather them all up!” One in a helmet called.

“No.” The Golem boomed firmly. “You will leave this place.” He took a step forward….only to get blindsided by an attack.

=

The Golem woke up to the sounds of battle. He was pinned down…the Jells had moved some of the rubble over the top of him, but he could still move his head. They had come back. They were in danger….

Maleah’s claws were useless against the Jells and her flame attacks weren’t hot enough to hurt them yet. Bean just bounced off and Marzipan was faring no better. They were in danger because of him and they were in danger because they had come back. They were hurting because of the Jells and suffering because of the Jells. These Jells could even….His struggle against the rubble grew greater. When he heard Holly cry out in fear he snapped.

=

Maleah never would have considered something with the consistency of jell-o to be so tough, but they were. Mal heard Holly cry out, but before she could move the Golem shot up from the rubble. He was almost snarling and his eyes were alight with rage. All were still as the giant was on his feet.

The captain of the Jells tried to rally his troops, but with a single backhand the Jell captain was made a lost disc. From the stillness came a flurry of motion. Some Jells went in for an attack while others began trying to retreat. Those that charged didn’t stand a chance and soon their discs took root in the garden. Yet even those that fled were being cut down. 

“Golem stop!” Holly called out.

It was all for naught as the rage didn’t leave the Golem till every last Jell was gone and then he just stood there. His breathing was shallow and fast. Slowly he sank to the ground in front of one of the former Jells. He was shaking and quietly muttering ‘no’ over and over again.

Holly carefully came up to him, she gently reached out and put a hand on his forearm.

“Fighting brings suffering….fighting brings pain….Now there are more discs.” He hung his head.

She sat down near him. 

“There’s nothing wrong with protecting yourself.” Maleah said firmly. “There is nothing wrong with protecting yourself or who or even what you care about. Otherwise people…monsters will just take what they want because nobody will stop them.”

Holly smiled. “Mal’s right, you weren’t doing anything wrong.” She patted the Golem’s arm. “You protected us and your home when it really counted. I also believe you didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but that’s why we’re looking for the Phoenix. When the Phoenix is awakened the monsters following Muu won’t be evil any longer and the lost monsters will be able to come back.” 

The Golem slowly got to his feet. “Dangerous.” He said sadly. “Too dangerous to be around.” He shook his head.

“You’re not dangerous, you just got mad. Nothing wrong with getting mad there hun, but you just can’t let it eat you up.” Marzipan reassured the Golem. 

“Not a bad monster.” Bean looked up at the Golem. 

The Golem looked over the group and then to the lost discs. “Wherever you go, Golem will follow.” He nodded.

“Welcome to the group,” Maleah smiled up at the rock monster.

=

“You know you don’t have to just be Golem.” Maleah mentioned one they were outside of the forest.

“Hmmm?” The giant regarded her.

“I mean you can be if you want to, but…well we all have names. Bean, Marzipan, Holly, and me. You can have one too if you wanted to.” Mal put her hands up.

“Golem has been Golem for a long time. Who would Golem be if not Golem?”

“You can be whoever you want. Like…you could be Chester, Wardell, or Ezra.” Mal shrugged. “It’s up to you to decide, Bean picked his name.”

“Bean is best!” The Mocchi laughed cheerfully.

The giant cocked his head and seemed consider this. “Ezra?”

“You know there’s more names than that, those were just examples.” Maleah spoke up.

“Golem…..Ezra….Likes Ezra.” The now named Golem smiled.

Maleah nodded. “Ezra suits you, as the name means help. You’ve been nothing but helpful since we first met you.”

Ezra perked up at the meaning. He smiled and he looked so proud of himself. His head was held high as they continued further away from the forest. 

Maleah wondered….nobody else seemed to name monsters…heck most monsters didn’t seem to consider the options, but she really wondered if her being the ‘player’ influenced her ability to name others. She fished her key out and rubbed her thumb against the sunflower. Mal wondered how much influence she had on this world.

“You okay?” She felt Bean tug her tail.

“Yeah just thinking that’s all.” Mal put her key back down and behind her poncho. “Nothing to worry about.” She patted the Mocchi’s head. 

“Okay.” Bean went back up to Holly and asked her where they were going next.

“Worried.” Ezra was closer to her now. 

“Yeah.”

“That’s not all.”

“No.”

“You need to talk, Ezra will listen.”

“Thanks,” Maleah smiled sheepishly. She didn’t think he would understand, she wasn’t even sure she could explain it, but knowing there was someone willing made her feel much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ezra is a Hebrew name that means help. Chester and Wardell were all names that were considered for Golem, but Ezra won as Golems orginally come from Jewish folklore. Plus Golem is a sweet and simple monster, so a simple name fits him also the big guy always does his best to help.


	8. Weeds and Worms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in part based of the episode Eternal Worm from the Monster Rancher series.

“I swear that stone is trolling us.” Maleah sighed as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

“Trolling?” Holly and Marzi stared at her.

“Basically the stone is messing with us, dangling the prize right before our noses and then disappearing with it. Or in this case…it turning out to be nothing. Trolling!” Mal threw her hands up into the air.

They’d left one forest crossed hills and grasslands, zigzagging the entire time it seemed, only to end up in another forest. A humid, dense, wet, hot forest! That wasn’t even the worst part of all this. The Gian stone, their guide to the Phoenix wasn’t pointing anywhere. 

Now the stone was just glowing. It didn’t show a direction or give another hint. Did that mean the Phoenix was here? Did they have to dig? Would it even look like a normal disc? Did they need to perform some arcane ritual to summon it? Did they need a blood or virgin sacrifice? What?! 

Mal flopped to the ground. “Whose turn is it to dig, search…whatever?”

“Ezra’s.” Ezra stood up.

“Maybe we should stop for some lunch, keep our strength and spirits up.” Holly offered.

“I wouldn’t mind a bite.” Marzipan was trying to get her frizzy wool to calm down.

“Hungry.” Bean sank to the ground.

Ezra scanned the area then took a few steps.

“Think he’s going to find a rock?” Mal looked to the others. They’d found that Ezra could eat normal food, but if that was off the table he could get by eat rocks. Apparently, the minerals in stones could keep Ezra going and repair damage to him.

He uprooted the plant to reveal what looked like some kind of giant yams or potatoes. “Those are a great snack, thank you.” Holly began to pull them off the stalk when particularly giant one came crashing down.

“Well there’s Ezra’s.” Mal noted from her place on the ground.

Bean went over to pick it up when more of the dirt fell away. “Phoenix?”

“…..If Ezra found that after we spent six hours digging, climbing, and searching I swear….” Maleah rubbed her face.

“It’s a mystery disc, no way to tell if it’s the Phoenix or not.” Holly reassured.

“Phoenix for now.” Bean hugged the disc close to his chest with a smile.

Maleah flopped to the ground. “Good work Ezra.” She gave a tired thumbs up.

Marzipan was clean off the potatoes when a sweet smell wafted through the air. The switch sniffed the air. “Oooh that’s nice.” She almost purred.

“Yeah it is.” Mal did purr. The day seemed to be catching up with her, she felt so tired and her eyes got heavy. “I’m gonna take a cat nap.” Maleah swore she heard Holly laugh quietly. 

=

Pain!

Maleah was rocketed back to consciousness by a sharp sudden pain like nothing else. She let out a unholy screech as she launched into the air. Holly and Marzipan sat bolt upright at the racket. Bean and that heavy disc were on her tail, but Bean had been jolted awake by Mal’s movements. Out of some deep rooted instinct Maleah climbed up Ezra and could feel her fur puffing up.

Ezra stirred, whether form sound or the sensation of someone on him who knew, but he was slowly coming to. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. 

“You should have been more careful!” A voice snapped.

“I was trying!” Another whined.

The group turned to look at see the source. There were three purple plant monsters, each one sporting a red or pinkie variant of lipstick. “Weeds.” Maleah recalled, she had at one point known nearly all the monsters. 

One in loud red lipstick tutted her. “Not just any Weeds. We are….” The three Weeds locked limbs.

“The Seed Sisters.” The three said in unison. “We get mystery discs for Muu and he really appreciates it.” The three crooned.

These three almost had Team Rocket Vibes….almost. 

“This one ours!” Bean held the disc closer.

“You ragamuffins might have given the Rexes and Jells trouble, but you’ll find we aren’t to be taken lightly.” The one in the middle with the red lipstick crooned cruelly. 

The flowers at the top of their bodies folded and then Maleah felt her arm burn. They were shooting seeds at them! Not for long as Ezra stepped in front of the group. Seeds did little to his stone hide. “Let’s roast some seeds.” Maleah’s palms lit up. “Mazipan can you give me some cover?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Marzipan pulled out some cherry bombs.  
The cherry bombs were lobbed overhead and came down in front of the Weeds with loud crackles. The pinkie red haze blinding the pesky purple plants and coating them in the sickly-sweet smell. Though the smoke was the least of their problems. 

The youngest shrieked in pain and took off out of the smoke. The smell of burning in the air.

“Sister!” The other two took off after her.

“More flammable than I th-.“ Maleah cut off by Golem grabbed her around the waist. Before she knew what was going on Mal was picked up by Golem and running off after the rest of the group.

=

“Okay so note for the group. Cherry bombs plus flame attack makes flames do more damage…good to know.” Maleah shrugged as they walked along. 

“Good to know I can offer aid in more ways than one.” Marzipan smirked.

“Healers are undervalued as well as underestimated.” Mal declared.

“You trying to butter me up?” Marzi elbowed her. 

“Just stating the facts.”

“New friend new friend!” Bean was skipping around now. The disc had been heavy and they had handed it to Holly.

“That’s right.” Holly chirped happily as she began to head up the stairway to the monster temple.

High above their heads there was a cracking sound.

Maleah stopped. “That didn’t sound like a tree branch.”

Another crack.

The ground shook and cracked under their feet.

Holly came tumbling back dropping the disc, but Marzipan caught her.

A figure dashed out of the tree line and snatched up the disc. Before the group could react they figure was up in the trees thanks to his whip. “Hey!” Bean turned to face the thief. “That’s ours! Give back!” The Mocchi puffed up.

The theif looked like he was barely into his teens. Dusty gray hair and a bright tunic, how had he snuck up on them, and a whip in his hands. “Come on don’t be greedy girlie, you’ve got plenty of monsters and me? Well little old me only has one monster. One worthless little Worm.” He cracked his whip again.

The ground beneath them shattered, chunks of earth and stone spewed forth, from the new pit came a giant Worm. Four deep green pupil-less eyes regarded them before a feral snarl ripped from the Worm’s jagged jaws. 

“This is little?” Maleah sputtered indignantly as she got to her feet.

“The people are talking, so shut up!” The boy cracked the whip again.

Maleah pinned her ears back.

“That mystery disc is ours! Please return it.” Holly called.

“Not happening.” The boy gave a cocky grin, but the grin faltered when Ezra took a step forward. “Worm, time to make our get away!” 

A dark choking cloud covered the group. It was hard to breath and hard to see. By the time the group made their way out of the noxious fog the boy and the Worm were gone. 

“Gosh darn him!” Maleah hissed as she furiously wiped her stinging eyes. 

“Oh he is so beyond darn, I prefer to avoid such language but I must say….Damn that little urchin!” Marzipan snapped.

“Oh great you guys can cuss.” Mal muttered.

Holly looked around then gasped. “Where’s Bean?!”

“Do you think he went after the disc?” The Golem looked Holly.

“Gotta be. If he uses that whip on Bean I’ll chop him to bits!” Mazipan gripped her golden spork tightly.

“As long as he doesn’t end up in a stew or something you can slice and dice him all you want.” Maleah looked around and saw where brush had been crushed, something big came by. “This way!”

=

Bean had rolled out of the cloud and rolled after the boy on the Worm. The boy hopped off the Worm and Bean went to strike him, but was caught in the whip. Bean tried to unroll and breakaway, but only half succeeded. 

“Nice try, but I heard you coming.” The boy sneered. “You’re so pathetic this monster was probably to replace you.” 

“We’ll take that pathetic little pipsqueak off your hands~” A pair of voices crooned.

“Bad! Seed Sisters bad!” Bean shouted at the Weeds.

“The Seed Sisters? I’ve heard about you.” He grinned.

“So good to know we have fans, but we must insist we take this little pink fella.” The Weed with red lipstick purred.

“Yes, we’re down a sibling thanks to him and his little group.” The other weed sighed.

“Oh? Well I’d like to join Muu.” Alan held up the disc. “Name’s Alan and I don’t aim to join empty handed.”

“Oh how generous!” Both Weeds gushed. 

“As nice as that is.” The one in red lipstick cooed.

“Revenge would be nicer.” The other finished.

“I think I can arrange that. They’re probably looking for this pathetic pinkie, probably heading this way….and I’ve got an idea on how to get them to drop their guard.” Alan’s grin was wicked.

“Oooh do tell!” Both the Weeds insisted.

The Worm shifted in his place. The four eyes going from its master, the Weeds, and to the Mocchi on the ground. The Worm wondered what had become of the boy he knew. The Worm let out a soft rumbling to signal quiet distress.

“Worm it’s show time.” Alan grinned to him.

He couldn’t leave his boy alone with these Weeds, so…Worm obeyed.


	9. Second Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short an awkward, but I struggled with how to stretch this one out. Hopefully I do better next time. Again this is based off of the monster ranchers episode 'Eternal Worm'

“Any sign?” Holly called out.

“Not yet sug!” Marzipan called back.

Maleah groaned and wondered how they could have lost the trail. That Worm was nearly the size of a semi-truck! Where could it have gone!?

Some branches snapped and all heads in the direction of the sound. “You!” Marzipan snarled.

Maleah grabbed her. “Gut him later. Bean first.” She whispered.

The gray-haired boy limped out from the brush. “Please, help me.” He whimpered.

Holly took a step forward.

“Careful,” Marzi’s eyes narrowed at the boy.

“Please! I was too hard on Worm and now your friend’s in danger! I-I brought the disc, as a show of good faith.” He shakily held up the disc.

Holly came forward to take the disc, only for a crash to come from behind them.

Worm had attacked while they weren’t looking and had knocked Ezra out could.

The whip snared both Mal and Marzi. 

“See, predictable.” Alan smirked.

“Very much so.” Two of the Seed Sisters stepped forward.

“Wasn’t there another one?” Mazi whispered.

“Not anymore thanks to you!” Both screeched.

Mal was tied to Marzi. Marzi snarled as Holly was tied up as well. Golem was bound to a nearby tree, still out cold.

Bean was then tossed at them.

“The gangs all here, how touching.” The Weed in red lipstick gave a fake sniffle.

“It would be so nice if we could say the same, don’t you agree sister?” The other Weed sneered.

“Oh yes, now Alan was it?” The first Weed cooed.

“Hmmm? Hey!” Alan was shoved forward by the Weed’s roots. The disc and his whip gone. 

“Your assistance is no longer required.” The lead Weed mocked.

“We’ll have our revenge, a disc, and maybe even a new monster to take to Muu!” The other sang.

“Worm is mine!” Alan thundered.

“Now now, Worm you’re a strong and valuable monster. Muu knows that humans can be cruel, we’ve heard how he talks to you, how long till he turns that whip on you? So what’s it going to be? This ungrateful little boy? Or come be part of Muu’s family?”

Worm shifted to Alan. He remembered the boy he traveled with, the boy that once loved him, and spoke kindly to him. The monster rumbled fondly at the memory and opened his maw to Alan, but was cut off.

“You stupid slug get over here!” Alan shouted.

Worm closed his maw and made his way over to the Weeds. “Welcome to Muu’s happy little family.” The Weed with red lipstick softly stroked the Worm’s muzzle.

“But he’s my Monster!” 

“Really? You treat him like trash and ally yourself with two Monsters that work for a Monster bent on ruling or wiping out humans. Such a shocking turn of events.” Sarcasm laced every syllable Maleah spoke.

“I don’t want to hear an I told you so!” Alan snapped.

“Show us what you got Worm!” Both Weeds crooned.

Worm used his tusks to dig underground and disappeared. The earth beneath them shifted and broken apart. Amid the cracking ground the tree that held Ezra snapped and half and the earth sank down. Once more the Worm’s tusk broke the surface and he reappeared above the ground.

The weeds cackled with glee. “Oh how delightfully cruel, toying with them before finishing them off!” The one in red lipstick chuckled.

“I like this one sister, I really really do.” The second added.

Maleah had been trying to get free, but what could she do? If she used fire she risked burning at best at worst there would be a fire and then what? Hope she could rescue everyone while they burned? Mal’s ears sank. There weren’t any good options and she’d run out of time. The Worm lifted his tail to reveal a stinger. Stingers flew out from the tail and Mal could feel them impacting the around her.

Around her….She felt herself freed. “Your monster is a saint kid.” Maleah got up and summoned embers to her hands.

“You back stabbing little sh- Sister!” 

“Right!” 

The pair of weeds latched onto Worm using their flowers, the began to glow…and grow. Maleah tried to burn them, but the burns just went away and Worm was the one shrieking in pain. 

“Bean give me a hand! Mazi get Golem awake!” Maleah called. 

“Worm…even after all I did…” Tears were falling down Alan’s face.

“Worm needs you right now, help him and help us.” Holly shook his shoulders. 

Alan gritted his teeth and ran for his whip.

Bean and Maleah were having no luck. Anything they were doing to the Weeds was being healed and hurting Worm. Alan got to his whip just Worm was shriveling up. But even with his fading sight….Worm saw his boy….Worm saw his boy coming to save him….

=

Alan was kneeling in front of what had been his Worm. He hadn’t moved when the others got the disc. Hadn’t moved with the girl sat down beside him. Hadn’t moved when the others went off with the disc. Alan just stared at what had been his friend. Though he was still his mind was a flurry of activity.

Every adventure, victory, defeat, and moment played on repeat. What had changed? Where had it all gone wrong? Did it even matter? The scenes played once more in his mind’s eye. Why had he changed? Why had he done what he had done? What had been the point of his actions? The flashes of memories once again. 

“He really loved you.” 

Alan finally turned to face the girl. “We were best friends, we did everything together and then I….I don’t know…I just….” He hung his head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. He was my friend, but I just……I treated him so horribly and he still.” Fresh tears ran down his face. “I loved him, but I was awful to him. I was awful for no reason and now he’s gone. Now I can’t make it right.” He put his head in his hands. 

Holly gently put a hand on his shoulder. He wanted to shove her away. Alan didn’t deserve pity or comfort, but his body just felt too heavy to move at the moment.

“We unlocked it.” He heard a voice call.

Holly’s hand left his shoulder and Alan hung his head lower. Good, they were leaving. He deserved to be all alone. There was some chatter behind him, but he paid it no mind.

“Alan, right?” Holly called out to him.

“Yeah.” He didn’t lift his head.

“He’s a little small, but he’s all yours if you want him.” 

Alan blinked and turned.

In the arms of the Switch was a Worm. A tiny new to the world, Worm….how long had it been since his own Worm had been so small? Tears filled his eyes. “For me…are…are you sure?”

“Only if you take proper care of him.” Holly smiled.

Alan nodded as tears ran down his face. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes this time. 

=

“I don’t like it.” Marzipan huffed.

“You saw the look on his face.” Holly retorted.

“Besides if he does mess up again you can just chop him up and leave him for the vultures.” Maleah offered.

“Pft, please vultures wouldn’t eat such trash.” Mazi scoffed.

“You two are being harsh.” Holly shook her head. “I just have a feeling that it’s all going to work out.” Holly clucked the stone tightly in her hand. “I just know things will be different.”

“The stone tell you that?” Mal smirked.

“His eyes, his eyes say what is in his heart.” Ezra spoke up. “Holly is right.”

“I’d love an ounce of your optimism.” Mal sighed.

“To the Pheonix!” Bean popped out of some brush up ahead.

“I’d also kill for an drop of his energy, but….” Maleah felt her stomach growl. “I’d also kill for a meal.”

“Cooking sounds good right now, I’ve got to use up this negative before it burns me up.” Marzipan nodded.

“Then we’ll find a nice place to set up camp, watch the sunset, and enjoy a meal together.” Holly smiled.

“Prefect evening to me.” Ezra nodded.


	10. Lost to the Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is based in part on the Monster Rancher Episode 'Tiger of the wind'
> 
> Enjoy.

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire.” Marzipan fanned herself.

“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Maleah wiped her forehead. 

They had left the humid forest behind, but at least the forest had shade. Now they were in a desert. It made Maleah think of old wild west flicks. She smirked thinking about Clint Eastwood sitting high up on some horse as he rode off into the sunset. Mal’s dad had loved those western movies, hell he loved damn near anything with Clint Eastwood in it. She was tugged from her nostalgia trip with a tug on her tail. “Hmmm?” Probably to be back in reality.

“I see some canyons up ahead, I want to be sure we know which way to go.” Holly said. “No point in going through rough terrain if we don’t have to.” She added with a smile.

“When has it ever given us the easy way.” Maleah cocked her head.

“It could happen.” Holly retorted.

The Kitten shrugged and waited for the verdict.

“Lots of echoes!” Bean said cheerfully.

Maleah knew what that meant.

“We could make a game of it.” Marzipan followed the group.

“How? Because I can’t recommend I spy around these parts.” Maleah walked along.

“We could sing?” Holly offered.

“I will not subject you all to that torture.” Mal said firmly, but was smirking.

There was laughter as they walked on going deeper in to the desert. They were unaware of the eyes on them. Eyes that had spotted a large green stone….a large green stone that could fetch a pretty penny.

===============

His scouts hadn’t been lying. They were easy for the pack to surround, hadn’t heard them coming.

“This, this isn’t a wild bunch is it?” He heard the Switch whisper.

“A group of monsters that ran away from their humans to become wild bandits.” The human nodded.

“Wrong!” The Tiger barked, he jumped down in a hail of wind and dust. “We became free.”

“If this really is the Wild Bunch, then that’s Tiger of the wind.” The human girl took a half step back.

“Guessing this is bad.” The Kitten looked at the Tigers that lined the canyon walls.

“So you’ve heard of us, well most of you have.” The blue Tiger almost grinned. “Then you know what we’re about then.”

“You’re bandits.” The human confirmed.

“So we’re getting robbed.” The Kitten rubbed her face.

“No we’re not!” The Mocchi had the nerve to charge him.

With a howl the winds swept the tiny pink monster away with ease. He turned to address the group, but it seemed there was more than one fighter here. He’d forgotten that cats were quiet on their feat. Tiger dodged a slash as she made her way to the Mocchi. The Kitten slashed at any of his pack that got too close to the little pink monster.

“It’s not wise to go against the Tigers of the wind.” One of his pack grinned at the Golem that walked with this little group.

The stone monster let out a growl before he lowered his fists.

“We’ve been going easy on you, the wind could have been much more….unpleasant.” The blue Tiger said coolly.

With a gesture his pack went forward, picking apart all this group had to plunder. It wasn’t much.

“I don’t see it,” One of the scouts growled.

“Oh, well we really don’t have much of anything…really!” The human smiled nervously.

The other scout came forward and was glaring at the fluffy Switch. “Nothing more?” The scout growled at the pastel sheep looking dog. 

“Nothing in these hands unless you want my spork.” She sniffed.

“What about your wool?”

“What about it?”

“Nothing hiding in there?” He growled again.

“You wanna run your dirty paws through my fleece, a prefect stranger, really?!” She snapped. “You’re not even my type!” She huffed and crossed her arms.

“Very funny.” The scout narrowed his eyes, he had seen something faintly glimmer when the Switch had crossed her arms.

He saw the scout make a gesture, Tiger of the wind understood.

=================

With an indignant yelp Marzipan was sent flying and the Gaia stone fell from her fluff. “It was a good try Marzi.” Holly helped her to her feet.

“Ah this is what we wanted.” Holly turned to see that the leader of had the Gaia stone….and it was glowing, but why? Holly took a deep breath and stepped towards him. “Please, please return the stone to me.”

He pretended to consider it before smirking. “It’s a matter of face. Can’t just walk away and take nothing.”

“Of course you can!” Maleah hissed. “You said you’re free, which means you’re free to not take and to not steal.” 

Lead Tiger snarled at Maleah.

Maleah snarled right back at him. 

He grinned and laughed. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that much, but you’ve got no skill.” With that he turned tail and left with the others.

Holly and the others were left to pick up the pieces, but burst of wind had knocked something loose that Mazi had forgotten she had stored in their….a telescope.

“Let’s see if we can’t get the drop on them.” Maleah grinned and looked to Golem.

“Ezra does not care for fighting, but we need the stone.” He nodded resolutely.

============

Their camp was in shambles. All their treasures, their look, their food, thrown out into the open. Tiger of the wind sniffed the ground, whoever had done this couldn’t be far away and they were going to pay for this disrespect. He turned to bark out orders when a net was shot over him. Try as he might, biting, scratching, even lightning didn’t work. 

He recognized it as something that they had stolen from a caravan months ago. His pack went to step towards him when he the culprits stepped forward. Dinos, Dinos working for Muu. An armored Dino, their captain no doubt, stepped forward. “We got word there’s a mystery disc around these parts, now…where is it?” The captain looked over the pack.

Tiger wanted to snarl his hate, but bit his tongue. He’d lost so much to Muu and he wouldn’t lose more. “We don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What was that?” A slight snarl.

“We mean no disrespect to Muu, but there is no mystery disc. Leave us be.”

“Leave us be….” The captain smirked wickedly.

Tiger took a deep breath. “Leave us be, please.”

“Hmmmm I….Don’t believe you. Boys!” The other Dinos stepped forward.

Tiger howled for his pack to leave, but they wouldn’t. They wouldn’t leave him behind no matter how much he called…and begged for them to flee. He thrashed trying to free himself, but only getting more tangled up as his howls fell upon deaf ears.

Instead he watched, helpless, as one by one his pack was slain. Now the ground was littered with treasure and lost discs.

“Oooh look what I found boys.” He heard the captain croon. “A pretty lil pebble.”

Tiger let out a shaky breath.

“Ah, tears are not enough, but you should know that.” The captain sneered down at him.

“When I get out of here.” Tiger snarled as tears streamed down his face.

“Yeah about that.” The captain snapped his claw and Tiger felt himself move. “Let’s see the wind save you from this one!” There was laughter as Tiger was thrown over the edge.

Tiger of the wind felt the air rush past him as he plummeted down.

=========

“Holy cow.” Marzipan gasped.

“That works.” Maleah surveyed the damage. “Think of these is him?” She looked around.

“Couldn’t tell you.” Marzipan shook her head.

“Tiger, Tiger!” Bean called out.

“Bean stay away from the edge!” Holly called out.

“Tiger here and Tiger hurt!”

Sure enough on a ledge half way down the cliffside, sprawled out and tangled in a net, was Tiger of the wind.

Maleah felt eyes on her. “I’m climbing down to get his bandit butt aren’t I?”

“It’s the right thing to do.” Holly said softly.

“Hurting, we help. Might also know where the stone is.” Ezra offered.

Maleah groaned. “Fine, Golem help me bring him up.” She began her climb down.

==============

The sun had set and Marzipan sat by the fire. “He was pretty banged up, lots of healing, but he’ll likely need more. For now I’m bushed.” She picked up her plate.

“Is he healed enough that he could say…..” Maleah looked at Bean and figured ‘rip our faces off in our sleep.’ Wasn’t going to be a good question. “Cause trouble for us?”

“Hard to say, he might not even come round till morning.” Marzi shook her head. 

“Hard to sleep through such racket.” A voice groaned.

Maleah, and the others, watched as Tiger of the wind managed to turn and face them. His movements were stiff, he was clearly in pain still, but he was alive and awake. “You slept through us trying to burn dinner and screaming about that.” Mal pointed out flatly.

The Tiger huffed and turned his head to the side. Maleah looked at him closely, in this light, without the scar, and those eyes….it made her think of Torger. She smiled a bit. Torger, she hadn’t thought of her dog in ages. Mal became aware of the Tiger’s eyes on her. “Want some grub? Promise it’s not too burnt.” She offered softly.

“I just need rest.” He turned so his back was to them fully.

Dinner continued, but sometime in the night Tiger woke to a plate for him…it was cold, but pretty good. Even if it was a lil bit burnt.


	11. Winds of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiger/Torger has joined the group.....how angry will Tiger be when he finds out he took the name of a dog...who knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue is a coat color for some dog breeds. Just an FYI.

“Torger! Torger! Come here boy!” Maleah held out her arms as he came running towards her. She wrapped her arms around him, feeling his sun warmed fur under her arms. “Good boy! How was your day? Did you miss me?” Those copper eyes looked up at her adoringly. “I missed you so much!” She kissed the dog between his eyes.

Torger patiently sat as Mal told him all about her day. He was such a good boy. People in the neighborhood had feared him. A big dog in a yard, silently watching them till they came to close. Torger only ever growled when he thought she or Torvald were in danger. He’d been the best boy. So many saw him as cold aloof dangerous thing. Torger wasn’t. 

She nuzzled the fur against his neck. Maleah never wanted to leave the warmth and safety of this place. Mal felt his warm pelt against her face….and dirt in her mouth…..

================

Maleah was dragged out of her sweet dream by the dusty earthy taste of dirt. “Ack!” She spat out a wad of dirt and fur. 

“You know you talk in your sleep right?” Tiger huffed. “And if you’re going to talk about me, the least you can do is say my name correctly.” 

‘This bodes ill for the rest of the day.’ Maleah mused. 

Bad enough Holly had heard Mal purring about pancakes several times in her sleep, now this bandit heard her calling out her what he thought to be his own name, great. Just great.

“No pancakes.” Marzipan smirked at her.

“Yeah yeah, by the way you have a type? What is your type?” Maleah figured if she was going to get teased it was fair play to tease her back.

“Hmmm,” Marzipan mused. “Well I do have a type and you’re half my type.” 

“Flattering, but any more info?”

“Nope.” Marzipan smirked.

“I regret waking you up.” The Tiger groaned.

Bean looked confused and Ezra was somewhere between curious and uncomfortable. So, Maleah decided to drop it. “Fine guessing games later.” Maleah shrugged.

During breakfast the Tiger told them what had happened to the stone, he didn’t have to stay what happened to the pack as it was clear enough, but he did point them to a town. He and his pack would fence their goods there from time to time, not that they were happy to see them even if it had been for business.

“Just follow that ridge east, follow the sun and you should be there well before noon.” The Tiger said as he got up.

“You’re still not healed all the way, you could come with us.” Holly offered.

“I need to sort out those Dinos.” He shook his head an went on his way.

The group went on their way and once the Tiger was out of earshot. “So, your type is….Pixies? Katos?” Mal grinned.

“Nope.”

Maleah had to think for a moment before it dawned on her, then she just felt stupid, “Oh, well I’m flattered but….”

“Like I said you’re only half my time. I prefer someone more muscled.” Marzi winked.

“Good to know.”

“I don’t get it.” Bean piped up.

“Grown up talk.” Ezra blurted out.

“Bean is growed up!”

================

Just as the Tiger had said they made it to town before noon, but they weren’t the only ones in town. Dinos were ransacking the place. From the sound of it Maleah guessed they were disc hunters much like the Seed Sisters had been. The key difference is there were a lot more of them. 

“How can we get the stone?” Maleah looked to Marzipan.

“Hard to say, maybe we can lure the captain away?”

They heard the splintering of wood and angry roars. “I’m not sure that’s an option and even if Ezra helps I don’t think we can pull this out.” Mal noted.

Ezra was keeping his head down and keeping close to Holly. 

A cart came flying into their hiding spot. The rotting stall they had been behind gave way. Now all the Dinos knew they were here.

“Protect Holly!” Marzipan shouted as she stood up ready to defend.

Mal mentally cursed herself for not taking advantage of the stealth they’d been given. Her palms lit up. 

The captain let out a laugh and roared. The other Dinos came charging forward. Bean got one with a headshot, but they were still coming. Maleah and Marzipan were soon overwhelmed. Mazi wasn’t a fighter and the Tiger was right. Mal had guts but no skill. She knew the Switch had tried to help her, but the truth was clear. They had no clue what they were doing. Marzi and Mal weren’t fighters, but they could still do so damage.

The Black Rexes had been hurt, that’s what had likely saved Bean and Mal in that encounter. These Dinos were strong as well as healthy, not only that but there were more of them. They were losing….Then the wind picked up and several Dinos went down.

The Tiger had said he was tracking the Dinos and he’d found them. A howl and several of the attacking of monsters were coated in ice. The Tiger charged and shattered them, lost discs took the place of the former Monsters. 

“Get him! Leave the others and get him!” The captain bellowed.

The troops hesitated and the Tiger used lightning to scare or scorch away those that stood in his path. With a roar the captain went to meet the former bandit leader, but it was all for naught. A slash from Tiger’s razor sharp claws shattered the armor of the captain. He went down hard and turned into a lost disc. With a snarl the Tiger turned to face the remaining Dinos, the Gaia stone safely on one of his horns, “Who’s next?” He took a step towards them.

The remaining Dinos fled.

As soon as they were out of sight the Tiger sunk to the ground. Holly rushed to him. “You pushed yourself too hard.” She scolded him gently while carefully taking his muzzle in her hands.

“Just take the stupid rock and leave me be.” He turned his face away, but a light blush colored his face and he didn’t pull away.

“We’ll take the ‘rock’, but you know you can come with us now.” Mazipan piped up.

“I don’t know…..” He didn’t protest as Holly continued to look him over.

“Good fighter, good fighter!” Bean was jumping up and down in front of the Tiger, stars in his eyes.

The Tiger snorted and glanced at Maleah and Ezra. “Not a fighter?”

“I have no clue what I’m doing and…..Ezra prefers peace, so he only fights when he has to.” The Kitten responded honestly.

“So if I say no….You’re going to keep blundering around, risking your lives, and possibly dying because you have no clue what you’re doing? Is that your plan?”

“We find the Phoenix, that’s the plan.” Bean piped up.

“Ideally we won’t die and I’d say we’re more wandering than blundering, but you’re not too far off.” Maleah sighed.

The Tiger grinned. “I see, well patch me up and I’ll ‘wander’ with you. Might even give you some skills to go with those guts. Not like I have much else to do.” He chuckled bitterly.

=================

Two days and the dessert gave way to almost savannah or prairie like conditions. In addition to the terrain change the Tiger was fully healed and he’d taken to challenging Mal and Bean to fights. Bean was, well naturally being a monster, a natural. Maleah was having a tougher go of things. She was also trying very very hard to not give this Tiger a name. As he technically already had one…..not only that, but despite his looks he sometimes acted more like Tor than Torger. Though Bean apparently had other ideas.

“Torger! Ready to train! Come on Torger!” Bean pulled on the Tiger’s paw.

“I blame you for this.” He glared at Mal.

“Fair enough, you can tell Bean to stop if you don’t like it.” Mal shrugged.

“You called me it first.” He quietly snapped.

“I wasn’t talking about or to you. It was just a dream, you know, sleep talking?” She looked at him.

“Ah…..Torger is?”

“Torger was my best friend. Loyal, strong, quiet, but he’s not around anymore. Still a nice dream.” She sighed.

“Is that why you were snuggling my tail?”

Mal sputtered.

“Torger, Torger.” It was like he was tasting the name. “New life, new name, why not. Call me Torger.” He grinned.

“Can you be Tor for short is that a no?” Marzipan called out.

He considered it. “Why not.” Torger shrugged then rolled his shoulders. “For now……You two have work to do. I’ll expect lambchop there to get some practice in too.”

“Hey!” Marzipan snapped.

“Healer or no, you should know a thing or to about fighting. That Golem will be next.” Torger began his training. 

================

Maleah went to bed sore every night once again, but there was a plus side to all this. Bean went to bed early and didn’t wake up early, so she got a full night’s sleep. She supposed it was worth it. Even more so to see Marzi in the same boat sometimes.

On one of those nights, before turning in, she noticed Holly looking at the Gaia stone. “Everything okay?”

“Hmmm? Oh yeah, nothing to worry about just thinking.” Holly smiled up to her.

“Anything you need to talk about?” Mal sat down next to her.

“Just an idea, but….” She turned the stone in her hand. 

The stone had lead them to Ezra and now to Torger. It was suppose to point her to the Phoenix, what did this all mean?

“Holly, you okay?” She felt Mal put her hand on her shoulder.

“No it’s nothing, so don’t worry. It’s late and we should turn in.” Holly smiled.

Mal didn’t believe it, but didn’t feel like calling the girl out on it as…it was late.


	12. A Hare Trick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hare's here, Hare's here.....the last of the original searchers....getting him to join is gonna be a toughie.

Out of the desert, which was a relief both from the heat and the locals. Torger might have been with the group now, but he was still Tiger of the wind to them. Holly had remarked on how expensive things were. Maleah had a feeling they’d been charged due to Torger’s all too recent lifestyle, but she knew Holly wouldn’t believe people would punish strangers for Torger’s old life. Mal would kill for some of that optimism. 

Still between getting scalped on supplies and a new mouth to feed they were running low on what they needed. Marzipan was cooking what little they had left as Bean rolled about in the grasses. Golem was sitting peacefully watching the grass rustle in the wind. “We’ll need find a forest or something soon.” Marzipan sighed. The Tiger had said to just take what they needed. They’d laughed at first, surely he’d been joking, but nope he was serious.

“Torger that was your old life, old way of thinking, we can’t do that.” Holly told him gently.

The Tiger huffed. “Then what do you suggest we do?”

“Fight!” Bean shouted.

“He gets it.” Torger smirked.

“Not fight like Tor, but fight like this!” Bean held up a poster.

Seemed Bean was copying Mal in calling Torger Tor when they were cross with the Tiger. It had been a slip when she first did so, but now it was just cemented thanks to Bean. On the plus side Torger didn’t seem to mind. The attention was soon on the poster in question, once it was out of Bean’s prance-y little grasp.

It was a bit tattered, but it could still be read. The poster was for a tournament and it was only a couple days away. When Holly read the town name aloud Torger said he knew it.

“Well that should solve the money problem.” Mazi smirked.

“Does? Whose going fight?” Torger cocked his head.

“Me!” Bean jumped up.

“Or me.” Maleah offered.

The Tiger looked at the Golem, but Ezra looked Torger dead in the eyes and said in a deadpan tone. “Not fighting.”

“You two don’t have what it takes to fight in a tournament. In fact you both still have a lot to learn.” Troger stretched. “Seeing as these tournaments tend to have prize money, I’ll do it and I’ll show you what a real fighter can do. Maybe motivate you to train more.”

“Just because we have other things to do to survive doesn’t make us unmotivated Tor.” Mal’s tail puffed up in rage. 

“If you say so,” Torger shrugged. “Though since I’ll need to be in top form I’ll have to go easy on you come training today.” He smirked. “Not that I’d really risk hurting myself sparring with you two.”

“Very risky!” Bean had both of his fists in the air.

Maleah rolled her eyes and just sat down to dinner. Sometimes Torger made her feel safe and other times Torger made her feel worthless. It was day and night, the difference between Torger, her old dog, and Torvald, yet this Tiger embodied them both perfectly.

=

Three days of walking and ‘easy’ training and they were in the town. Holly signed Torger up, but saw she’d signed up to be out there with him.

“Holly, honey, you’ve got this.” Marzipan put both hands on her shoulders. “I’ll be in the crowd, so just keep your eyes on me.” The Switch smiled.

Holly smiled and nodded. “Thanks Marzi.” 

From there the others took their seats. Maleah noted how the place looked quite a bit like the Roman Coliseum. The kitty heard the crowd go wild as the announcer took the stage. The man lifted both arms into the air which made the crowd go silent.

“Here we go.” Mal was glad she wasn’t the one with the whole place watching her.

=

To say the crowd wasn’t thrilled to see Torger there, was a understatement, it didn’t matter he had a new name. Seems he was well known in the area. Still Torger took it in strid and even looked a bit proud. Holly was bolstered by her Marzi, Bean, and Mal calling out to her. 

The tournament was soon underway, though it was not much of a challenge for Torger. Each opponent the Tiger came up against was soon defeated with minimal effort on his part. With Tor’s rapid of his challengers the last match up was soon upon them.

A smiling Hare hopped onto the arena. He blew kisses, waved, and told the crowd he loved them. Holly had stayed to watch the other fights and tried to tell Torger about what she had seen. The Tiger had no interest in her words and felt he was going to come out on top. She bit her tongue and hoped he was right.

The Hare came over and shook Torger’s paw really pouring on the charm, but the Tiger was having none of it. He snatched his paw back and went to his corner.

Once more Holly tried to talk to Torger and once again she was shot down. Holly took solace in the fact she tired at least. Then considered that perhaps she was worrying too much. Torger had beaten everyone else afterall…

The fight started. 

Torger had the Hare on the ropes right out of the gate. Soon he had the rabbit Monster pinned. The Hare sniffled something to the Tiger and he was let up. Torger let out a huff of disgust and turned away only to get blindsided and knocked out.

“He’s gonna feel that one when he wakes up!” Maleah said over the murmurings of the crowd.

Holly looked up and saw Marzipan shaking her head in agreement.

=

Marzipan checked Torger over and, in spite of his protests, gave him a quick dose of some healing. “Better safe than sorry darling dog.” The Switch noted as they made their way into town.

“Whatever you say.” He snorted.

“We may not have one, but I’m sure the others learned, I think I might have too, and we made a bit of money.” Holly smiled bright. “So you won in the end Torger.”

Another snort, but he was smiling…slightly. For now it was a matter of getting down to business. The first order of business being getting supplies. Hard to do much travel or fighting if their stomachs were empty. 

They soon discovered an unintentional benefit to Torger not coming in first. The merchants were more willing to do business with them. Indeed, on the whole the prices were very reasonable. Seems the loss had made the locals less likely to scalp them on prices. Torger wasn’t happy about this, but it helped the bottom line quite a bit. 

The day was winding to a close and a good portion of their money already gone when the option of food for today came up. Holly managed to find a stall that was selling grilled veggies. Grilled string beans, grilled asparagus, grilled carrots, but that wasn’t all! If you got a grilled veggie you also got toasted garlic or toasted turnip as a side. 

Maleah didn’t have a problem with veggies. She really really didn’t. The issue here was everything smelled like someone had lit a pile of tires on fire. Plus veggies alone weren’t going to be that filling. Cheap yes, but not filling. “We need to spend carefully.” Holly pointed out after seeing the groups look.

Holly had taken out the Gaia stone, better for them to get a barring before and after a meal…never knew where it was going to point after all. Still nobody was happy and try as she might Mal couldn’t keep quiet on this. “I appreciate wanting to spend smart, but veggies alone does not a meal make.” The Kitten pointed out.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Torger snarled as they group turned to face a familiar Hare. The brown monster in question was a good arms’ length away. Ezra carefully put his hand on Torger, the Golem’s hand effectively immobilizing the snarling beast, to prevent Tor from doing anything rash. 

“Now now,” The Hare put his hands up. “I’ve been looking all over for you and just wanted to…well apologize. I admit I used a cheap trick, but I want to make it up to you. How about dinner at the hotel I’m staying at?” The Hare grinned.

“Food food food!” Bean hopped around beside the Hare excited.

“That’s right my fine pink pal.” He nodded. “What do you say?”

Holly looked down at her hand and saw the stone pointing right at the Hare. “Only dinner, we don’t want to take advantage of her hospitality.” She quickly put the stone away.

“Not at all, not at all!” The Hare grinned.

=

“I can see my face in the floor.” Bean was mystified. 

Maleah could not believe how clean this place was. It was warm, well lit, and spotless. She felt filthy, well filthier, just standing in this place. This hotel was more like a palace. Hare was talking to the staff, he said he wanted to set things up so it’d be prefect. Mal still wasn’t sure on the monster. He’d played one dirty trick today….

“I don’t trust him.” Torger muttered.

“You and me both.” Maleah muttered in turn.

“Then why are we here?” He eyed her.

“Because Holly wants to give him a chance.” Marzipan glared at them both. “Now if y’all have a problem you better speak up.”   
“It’s okay Marzi.” Holly put a hand on the Switch’s shoulder. “They’re just being protective and I do want to give him a chance, but it’s nice to know others are worried about me.” She smiled.

The Switch nodded and the Hare returned to them. “Right this way.” He smiled and lead the way.

“Should we watch him in shifts or do you wanna watch him and I distract Holly if it all goes sideways?” Maleah whispered.

“The latter.” The Tiger followed the smiling Monster down the hallway.

They hadn’t agreed on a signal or anything, but hopefully it didn’t end up with a lucky rabbit’s foot at Holly’s feet.


	13. Hop Along

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the puns for this name...ALL of them,

The room they were eating in was pristine. Fine dinnerware, shining cutlery, spotless cloth napkins, a wrinkleless tablecloth, and an elegant candle holder with flickering candles to lit their meal. Beauty and the Beast could eat their hearts out at such a set up. Maleah stared at it all, drinking it all in with wide eyes, but her eyes were about to widen further when the staff came in and placed covered dishes down on the table.

Food.

The second the lid was lifted a whisker the smell it. It took all Maleah’s willpower not to drool. Between mouthfuls of fish when fishing was good and jerky, it had been a long time since Maleah had seen fresh cooked meat. 

=

Maleah ate more than she should have, she knew that, but it was just so good and who knew when she’d be able to eat like this again. She was purring as she finally put down her fork and knife. A glance around the table and most were in the same boat as her it seemed. Mal saw all the contented faces and then noticed a face missing. The Hare was gone. Maleah sat bolt upright in her chair and looked around. Torger was gone too.

A plethora of profanities spewed through her mind as she scanned the room. She then saw the staff approaching them with a slip of paper. “He dined and dashed on us.” Her ears sank down. 

“He tried to.” A familiar voice growled.

The Hare was being sheepishly herded into the room by Torger. While passing the table Hare put the tiny bag of what little gold they’d managed not to spend on supplies next to Holly. From there he went and used the money he’d won to pay for the dinner. Holly, and most at the table, looked horrified.

The fact the rabbit Monster still had his tail amazed Mal. Her ears pinned back as she quietly growled at the Hare. Marzipan was up once the shock wore off and got Holly heading out the door. If looks could kill Marzi would have struck that Hare dead in the worst way possible.

The group made their way out of town. Holly thanked Torger for what he did and the group set up in a meadow not far outside of the town. It was late evening. The last of the sunset colors giving way to the dark starry sky. Holly had been quiet after thanking Torger. Marzi was pacing and muttering under her breath, Mal could sometimes hear curses. Ezra sat with Bean who looked bewildered. 

It had been a confusing day. Mal rubbed her face when she thought she heard something. Torger was on his feet first and growling. “H-Hey there.” The Hare appeared.

Torger rushed right past Ezra, who did nothing to stop him, and pounced on the Hare. The Hare cried out in fear. “Ham it up all you want,” Marzi snorted.

“Torger, let him up.” Holly walked over to them. “What do you want?” 

Torger snarled, but did as he was asked.

The Hare shakily sat up. “Well after what happened the hotel didn’t want me to stay and I couldn’t afford it after all that food.” The last part was said quietly. “So I thought I’d stay out under the stars, but then I thought I cou-“

“Try stealing from us again.” Torger growled and sparks flickered off of his horns.

The Hare put up his hands “No no no no no! I just, I just wanted to um…well it’s hard to explain.” He laughed nervously.

“Please try.” Holly said gently.

Hare took a deep breath and confessed he was curious about the glowing stone he’d spotted earlier. Marzi growled this time round. “Another thing you wanted to swipe?”

“No no no…well yes, but now I’m just curious! No more trying to steal form you!” Another nervous laugh as the Hare glanced at Torger.

Holly smiled gently. “This is the Gaia stone, we’re using it to guide us to the Phoenix.”

“That old legend?” The Hare cocked his head and looked like he was about to laugh.

“Muu was just a legend.” Ezra said solemnly.

The mirth on the rabbit Monster’s face faded. “Yeah that’s true.” He rubbed the back of his head. “So you’re going to find the Phoenix and use it to stop Muu?”

“That’s the plan. Awaken the Phoenix, stop Muu, and make the bad monsters good again.” Holly’s eyes lit up as spoke.

“You’re all seriously going to do this?” The Hare looked at them all with a mystified expression.

Each member of the group nodded.

“You’re welcome to stay with us, we’ll be on our way in the morning.” Holly smiled and went to sit down next to Ezra.

=

Mal slept on one side of Holly and Marzi on the other just in case the Hare wasn’t true to his word. Yet come morning all was in order. After a quick morning meal, still pretty full from the dinner, and Holly pulled out the stone to see where they would go next. “You said I was welcome to stay with you, does that mean I can come along?” The Hare spoke up.

Marzipan and Torger gave him a sideways glance, but the Hare had big hopefully eyes on Holly. “If you really want to, but it will be dangerous.”

The Hare grinned and lifted his chin. “I’m a pretty tough bunny and this could be the road to redemption.” 

“Not as much ham as yesterday but still pretty ham-ish today.” Maleah huffed.

“He is pretty ham-ish, but it’s charming.” Holly laughed.

“Ham-ish huh.” The Hare rubbed his chin. “That’s right you all have names, well since it’s charming I’ll go with Hamish.” The rabbit Monster grinned.

“If you say so bunny boy.” Marzipan turned to Holly. “Where we going, Holly Hon?”

Holly noticed the stone did not glow red but instead pointed west. “This way.” She managed a smile, but wondered why the stone glowed for Hamish and Torger…..she wished she could have asked about that.

=

“So you make your living fleecing people?” Torger huffed. 

“Weren’t you a bandit?” Hamish retorted.

“That’s different. It’s a matter of strength.” 

“Mine is a matter of mind. Not simple brute tactics.”

“Nothing simple about what I was doing.”

“Well at least you know you’re a brute.”

“Keep it up and I’ll turn you into a ham sandwich!”

“You two bicker like an old married couple!” Maleah threw her hands it.

It the pair of Monsters bickered on and off about an hour after they the outskirts of town. Then it had been three hours of this and Maleah couldn’t take it anymore. “Can you two either play nice or just shut it so we can have some peace?” She stared at the two Monsters who stared back at her. 

“If Torger does want to turn him into a Ham sandwich I’ve got some cheese that would pair nicely with it.” Marzipan smirked.

Holly laughed, but quickly covered her mouth. “Marzi that’s awful!”

“It is awful, not like we have any bread to even make a sandwich with.” Maleah smirked.

Holly covered her mouth again. “You’re both terrible!”

“I probably am, but terrible is part of my humor.” Maleah shrugged.

“So dark and puns?” Holly cocked her head.

“Pretty much, but I won’t deny other things will get a laugh out of me just depends you know?” The Kitten stated. “Clearly you’re a fan of puns, as you’re all for making Ham into a ham sandwich.”

“Hey I can hear all of this!” Hamish piped up.

Holly giggled quietly. “I guess so, but it still shouldn’t happen as it would be mean and I wouldn’t let Torger do that.” She called back to the Hare.

“I don’t think Ham would be a good sandwich. Hamish is a better friend.” Bean added.

“Thank you, my fine pink friend.” Ham patted his head. “At least someone is happy to have me on the team.” 

“Still Hamming it up.” Torger huffed.

“Why did I go with this name.” Hamish sighed.

“Because it’s charming.” Holly smiled. “But if you want to change it, that’s fine.”

“No way Hamish has so much charm, so much potential. It’s a great ice breaker. Now Torger sounds like someone sneezed while they were saying their name.” Ham smirked at the Tiger.

“I think I’ll just have sliced Ham instead of a sandwich.” Torger growled.

“Ooooh! Torger’s words have Tor into me!” Ham put a hand to his forehead.

Holly and Mal burst out laughing.

Torger snarled.

“Oh don’t get so tor-n up about it Torger you’re still ger-reat part of the team!”

This got Marzipan to snicker and Bean to start giggling.

Torger snarled more so.

“Oh don’t be so glum chum.” Ham smiled brightly. “After all it’s just a bit of harmless fun. Right?”

“Watch your back lunch meat.” Tor snorted.

The Hare smirked. “Watch your step.”

Ham tripped Torger….and then it was chaos.

It took Ezra to keep Tor from killing Hamish.


	14. Dark Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Muu has been made aware of a group searching for a Phoenix and Torger shares what Muu has taken from him. Which nearly brings Holly to tears as she knows the feeling of loss all too well.....

Amid the clouds on a moonless night something slithered across the sky. It vaguely resembled a giant start, but it was no heavenly body to be wished upon. Dark stone was the skin and twisted tech made up the guts of this false star. Within the labyrinth of corridor that made up the innards of this flying fortress its master stood. 

Master Muu was an imposing Monster. Humanoid enough in appearance; save for his horns and daunting size. Golden armor was all but hidden under his ebony cloak. Only the helmet was visible and from under said helm a profuse mane of snow-white hair spilled out. It rested neatly on his back. His face was a featureless and near mask like save for two blood red eyes. No Monster like him had ever been seen before. His very presence commanded respect and it was with that respect his top lieutenants bowed to him. 

The Big Bad Four, as his troops had come to call them, had come to report their progress. Gali, Naga, Gray Wolf, and Pixie all were powerful in their own right, yet they knew to kneel before their master. The first to straighten up was the first to speak. Unsurprisingly it was Gali. Gali assured Muu that all was going smoothly in the conquering of the Northern Continent. 

“Smoothly?” The master rumbled darkly. “If it is going smoothly how have you not conquered it yet?” His eyes swept three of the Monsters stood before him. 

“Three of the Big Bad Four are not able to take over one continent, when a single general and his troops are already halfway through conquering continent further from my base of power.” He loomed over Gali “So tell me Gali, how exactly is it going smoothly? Give me the details if you will.”

Gali said nothing.

“I want results. From all of you!” He boomed. “This world will bow before its true master. Now, be gone with you.”

The monsters filed out from the throne room. 

“Weed.” Barely had Muu uttered the name when the purple plant Monster came skittering in.

“You called master?”

“I have gotten numerous reports on a group searching for the Phoenix. You are to tail this group. See how it is they intend to find this Phoenix. Keep out of sight and only return once you have something of importance. Is that understood?” Muu looked down at the puny purple plant.

“Of course, master! Right away master!” The Weed was off in a flash.

=

“Have you heard the news?” 

“What news is that Naga?” Pixie turned to face the old general. 

Naga slithered out from the shadows with the other members of the Big Bad Four.

“That those searching for the Phoenix were spotted not far outside of the territory you control. I do hope you have a plan for dealing with them.” Gali said smugly. 

“They are hardly a threat, but it would be best that they are taken care of.” Gray Wolf glared at Gali. 

“I’m not worried about it, but thanks for the tip and know I’ll handle it.” Pixie replied coolly. 

With that she took flight and was flying off into the cloudy night.

=

“Torger stop!” Holly came over to the raging Tiger.

The Evil Hare was let up as Ezra lifted Torger off of the Muu soldier. “Go now, cause no more trouble.” The Golem spoke in a dead serious manner.

The Monster took off like he’d been lit on fire.

Torger let out an angry snarl. “We can’t let them get away!”

“We don’t need to kill them all.” Holly insisted.

“Just one getting away could put us in serious danger.” Torger snapped.

“Muu’s boys have done you wrong, they’ve done other people wrong too, but we can’t just go acting like the big bads!” Marzipan stopped hoof. 

“Done me wrong….done me wrong?! You don’t know the half of it!” Tor snarled at her. “Muu wiped out half of my first pack, Muu gave me my scar, those Dinos took away my remaining pack, but that’s not the worst of it.” Torger was shaking in fury as he was held by the Golem. “Muu killed my brother right before my eyes.”

What followed was a tense silence that was only broken by the distant rumble of thunder.

“We need to find a place to take shelter.” Holly spoke up. 

There was no arguing with that, and the search started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They managed to duck into a large cave as the rain really started to come down. Thunder boomed in the distance as the rain pounded the ground below.

Torger hadn’t spoken since his outburst and he shook himself dry deeper within the cave. Once he was dry he found a perch to watch the mouth of the cave from.

“You hear what those Hares called us?” Hamish piped up as he rung his ears out.

“You mean the normal insults.” Maleah took off her poncho so it could better dry on a rock.

“I heard those, apparently we’ve got a title now.” He grinned. “We’re the searchers!” Hamish waved his hand with a flourish. 

“Not very original, but given most people call Muu’s boys the ‘Baddies’ I can’t really judge them all that harshly.” Maleah noticed a dead tree that was partly in the cave and went to break off parts.

“Well we have a group name now, we can have celebrity status if we play our cards right.” The Hare rubbed his chin and chuckled.

“We’re not in this for the fame.” Torger growled.

Ham’s chuckling quickly died.

Bean went up to the Tiger and sat down in front of him. Torger glared at the Mocchi, but Bean was undeterred. He reached up and gently patted the Tiger’s head. “Sorry you lost your brother. That’s so bad.” He then got a determined look in his eyes. “I’ll punch Muu for that!” Bean mock punched the air.

Torger laughed softly. “You know, you remind me a bit of him.” The blue Monster sighed.

“He was always biting off more than he could chew, but I couldn’t leave him behind. We were thick as thieves. I got us into plenty of trouble too come to think of it.” Torger smiled as he thought back to those days. “We’d built a pack of like-minded Tigers, those of us who ran off or were unwanted by humans, and we roamed the wilds. We went from surviving to thriving.” His grin suddenly soured. “Then we ran into Muu.”

“You met Muu in person?” Ham stared at Torger with wide eyes. “When you said you got that scar from Muu I thought you meant that one of the…”

“No, Muu did it by his own hand.” Torger growled darkly. “It got cocky, thought we were more than enough to take him and the tiny band he had with him. I lost my pack, but I didn’t wise up and turn tail.” He gritted his teeth. “Instead I rushed him with all I had. I got hit, but before I blacked out I saw my brother….I saw Gray Wolf try to hit him.” He took a deep breath. “I couldn’t move and I couldn’t keep my eyes open any more, but I heard a yelp before I was out. I came too and got what was left of my pack out of there.” 

Torger’s claws dug into the stone and it was clear he was fighting back tears for all he was worth. “Muu made a mistake. He let me go and when I find him.” He growled darkly.

“We might have to fight Muu, it’s true.” Holly spoke up. 

She’d come over and taken the firewood Maleah had managed to gather from the tree. “No one is going to fight Muu alone and we might even find the Phoenix before that happens.” Holly got the wood set up and started the fire. “I’m sorry you lost your brother and your pack, that’s awful.” She looked up at Torger as a smile struggled to stay on her face. “If it helps I know how you feel.”

“Oh Holly honey,” Marzipan came over and hugged the girl.

Maleah’s heart sank as she recalled the image from her tv. It felt like it had been so long ago. How long had it been? She realized it had been months, but she still remembered the image. A burning village and two figures fleeing. The Kitten’s stomach turned.


	15. Outpouring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly's tale is told.
> 
> Pic of Vacherin and Pixie incoming (poor pic quality for Lobeartas and Pixie I redid Pixie's canon design).

Holly took a deep breath and wiped the beginnings of tears from her eyes.

“I grew up in a tiny village called Tochika. The mountains were at our backs as we sat nestled in a valley.” She smiled whistfully. “Tall ancient trees at the edge of meadows and in the distance when the day was clear we could see some of the other towns far below us.” Holly sighed. “It was, it was almost like paradise now that I actually think about it.”

“It was my father, mother, and me….then just my father and me.” Her eyes lit up as she looked at Marzipan. “Then it was my father, Marzi, and me.” She shook her head. “Tochika was small, but it was my home and it was beautiful. There were more Monsters than people honestly, yet we were like family. The elders took me in, they became my grandma and grandpa, when my father.” Holly gripped her pendant. “When my father had to leave.” Holly quickly shook her head. “I’m sorry I’m rambling.”

“Take your time.” Ezra said gently.

Holly smiled at the Golem. “Thank Ezra, but I shouldn’t just go on and on,” She took a shaky breath. “Marzi and I were woken up by my grandpa, the village elder, late in the night….”

=

Holly was shaken from her sleep. She hardly had time to form a thought when her grandmother quickly handed her clothes telling her to get dressed. Holly saw her grandfather and his Lobearta had a bag for her. “Grandpa, Vacherin, grandma, what’s going on?” Any sleepiness was quickly fading away as the seriousness in their faces sank in.

“I Muu’s forces are here.” Holly’s grandpa took her hand the moment she was dressed.

“Muu? He’s a legend, a fairy tale!” Holly insisted even as they moved through the house.

“Cherin,” Marzipan turned to her fellow Abyss Monster as they made it outside.

In the distance they heard shouting and even some roaring. Vacherin glanced at the direction of the sounds and then took a deep breath. With the bravest look she could muster she turned and looked at Marzi. “I’m going to go be brave.” She smiled feebly. “I need you to be brave too. You take care of Holly, you hear me?” She put her hands on Marzipan’s shoulders.

Marzipan looked horrified.

“No! We both should be out there fighting with you!” Holly insisted.

“No, no you should not.” The elderly man lead them to the storehouse around back.

It was small but made from stone and it had weathered the harshest weather and even withstood a fire. Holly felt her grandpa firmly put a small bag into her hand. “You need to hide, please. You need to protect the Gaia stone, it cannot fall into Muu’s hands. Please Holly I know I’m asking so much of you, but…”

Roars and shouts came from the distance. Varcherin gripped her broom and vaulted gracefully over the stone wall towards those sounds. “Cherin!” Marzpian called out and moved to chase after her.

“Please keep Holly safe.” The elder’s wife begged.

Marzipan stopped. Her eyes darted to the stone wall and to Holly. She was being asked to choose between two people she considered to be her sisters…her family. The Switch nodded and went into the storehouse with Holly. 

Holly’s grandpa revealed a hidden trap door in the storehouse, a place where emergency seeds were stored in case of a harsh winter. Soon they were in darkness as the door was closed behind them and they could hear something heavy being dragged over the top. They waited in silence for the longest time. Roaring and shouting growing closer and closer.

The Monster and human duo held each other close.

=

She didn’t know when or even how, but she’d fallen asleep as Holly woke with a start. This in turn startled Marzipan awake. The pair of them listened but heard nothing, so with great effort they managed to get the trap door open. Only to find their eyes greeting the morning sun. The storehouse was all but rubble, but it was not the only destroyed building.

Dying embers flickered around the charred remains of other buildings. Fallen timber and lost discs littered the path that lead in and out of town. Marzipan saw something, but wouldn’t let Holly look. Instead the two made their way out of the rubble. As they made their way out of the storehouse they heard a groan. The doorway from the storehouse had managed to stay standing and now they could see why.

“Grandpa!” Holly rushed to his side.

Marzipan used her golden spork as a lever to get the rubble off of the man safely. Holly held him carefully. “Grandpa?” Her voice shook.

“Holly, I…” The old man wheezed. “The stone, you have it? Yes?”

Holly nodded.

“You must keep it safe, but you must also use it to find the Phoenix.” 

“The Phoenix, but th-“ Holly stopped herself as Muu was just a legend too. “How?”

“You’ve seen how I use it yes?”

Holly nodded. “I have, and it will point the way to the Phoenix?”

“Yes, but there’s so much more it.” He coughed, it was a wet awful sound, and struggled to catch his breath. “Muu can’t have it, he can never have it. You must find the Phoenix. Only the Phoenix can stop Muu.” More wheezing and then his eyes widened. “Holly your father, Holly I’m so sorry…..He knows about the stone too and he…he….” The light flickered out from her eyes.

“Grandpa? Grandpa!” Holly shook him as tears rolled down her eyes.  
=

Holly had broken down into tears by this point. Marzipan had her arms around Holly and was doing her best to sooth the young woman despite the tears running down her own muzzle. 

It was so much worse than that stupid little scene. Maleah blamed the damn PG rating for the game it was just….She shuddered and felt tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Mal hung her head as she tried to collect herself. Sure she knew what it was like to lose people she loved, but she…it paled in comparison to what Holly had gone through. Yet Holly kept smiling and kept being positive.

When Mal managed to look up at the group and saw the were also a mess. Bean had come over to hug Holly as well, tears in his eyes. Hamish was sniffling and using his ears to wipe tears from his eyes. Torger was looking away, but she swore he was shaking. Ezra was misty eyed. The mood was so sour, so awful and she hated seeing Holly…the beacon of hope so sad.

“Muu is the worst, but that’s why we’re going to get the Phoenix. “It took her a moment to realize the shaky voice was her own. “It won’t undo or make everything the same, but it will make things better and we will get some people back.” Maleah’s voice still shook, but her tone was firm. “We might have to deal with Muu, but he won’t stop us.” She turned to look at Holly.

Holly’s tears hadn’t stopped, but she was smiling again. 

Maleah smiled back at her, “What the heck…this kid….I’ve had only known her for a few months, but I fell like she’s my sister’ Mal sniffled and then she got hugged.

“I feel like you’re my sister too.” Holly squeezed her tightly.

Maleah blinked and hugged Holly back. Turns out she hadn’t been realized she’d spoke that aloud. Truth be told she wasn’t sure they could do it. Hell she wasn’t even sure they could do it, but Holly was always the one giving them hope and pushing them forward…giving her some hope only felt right.

Before she knew it Mal was in the middle of a group hug…which turned into a group crush when Ezra joined. “Ezra, gentle!” Hamish wheezed the groups collective thought.

“Sorry,” He sniffled. “Ezra just wanted to offer support.”

“We appreciate that.” Holly patted his stony arm.

Torger puffed himself up and went to the fallen tree. He was ripping it to pieces. “We need more firewood!” His shaky voice came.

Maleah shook her head as she sat down.

“You must miss your family too.” Holly sat down next to her.

Mal felt her heart drop into her stomach. “I….I don’t have much family left back home. Just my brother and me.” She couldn’t meet Holly’s eyes.

“……You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” She squeezed Mal’s hand gently, but firmly. “But I’m here if you ever need me.”

“Thanks.” Mal squeezed her hand back.


	16. Times Gone By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some monster nonsense and a look into Maleah's life before coming to the Monster world.

The storm rumbled and what little light the day had given them was long gone. Now only the fire offered brightness, well aside from the flashes of lightning. Those were not a constant source, but the inside of the cave was made less gloomy in spite of the story that had been shared.

“So you were a part of a trio?” Holly looked at Hamish.

“That’s right, a trio of Hares. Armed with nothing but our wits and each other to survive. Just us against the world!” The Hare grinned.

“And you called me a bandit king.” Torger huffed. “You were pulling the same things, just more underhanded.”

“Hey! Just because we valued brain over brawn didn’t make our work underhanded.” Ham snapped.

“Were you doing the same stuff to others as you tried to pull with us?” Maleah cocked her head.

Hamish let out a nervous laugh.

“That answers that.” Mal shook her head.

“I’m working on reforming!” Hamish put up his hands. “Besides I got separated from my team in a job gone bad, but turns out it’s for the best! Now I get to help save the world!” The Hare nodded.

“That’s a nice way to look at it Hamish. Hey! Maybe we’ll run into your friends.” Holly smiled.

“Seeing Fairy and Wild Hare again would be great.” Hamish sighed wistfully. 

Maleah threw another couple of branches on the fire.

“What about you?”

Mal blinked. “What about me?”

“Well we know about Torger, Bean, Holly and Marzi. What about you?”

“What about me? I don’t have much to say.”

“It can’t be as short as Ezra’s story.” Hamish pointed out.

“Yeah……” Maleah really couldn’t argue with that. 

The poor Golem had been ordered to stay and guard that fortress. Yet the order had been so long ago that Ezra couldn’t remember who had given him the order. He couldn’t remember the person’s face or the sound of their voice. Ezra didn’t know when he figured out a long time had passed, it just rolled by without him thinking, but one day he realized that the walls were covered in roots. The Golem had gone outside to see bushes, shrubs, and even a tree sprouting out of the sides of the old fortress. 

Only then had it dawned on Ezra how long he must have been there. From there he did not know what to do. So much time had passed that he chose stayed in the forest never going too far from the old stone fort. As it was all he knew. In some respects Ezra’s short tale was just as sad as Holly’s had been. 

Maleah quickly shook her head. “Why do you care it’s not like you believe the whole human thing.” She shrugged.

“Ezra believes you.” The Golem spoke up.

“Really?” Hamish, Torger, and Maleah all said in shock.

“Your eyes. Ezra can see it in your eyes. Monsters shine one way. Humans in another. Your eyes shine with the light Ezra sees in Holly and other humans.” The Golem nodded resolutely.

“I believe you!” Bean spoke up.

“I know you do Bean, so do Holly and Marzipan. Still…” Truth be told Marzipan didn’t know where to start.

The world she’d come from was so different from this one. How could she explain it? Where would she start? How much detail could she give them without a million other questions? 

“She doesn’t have to talk about it if she doesn’t want to, besides I can tell you what I recall. Mal said she was playing a game when she got brought here. She fell from a bright light which caused her to land in front of Marzipan and I.” Holly smiled.

That was the short version. Maleah smiled back at Holly.

“So you’re from another world too…so you must have family there or a home there.” Hamish pressed.

Maleah sighed. “If I give you the short version, do you promise to leave me be?”

“Maleah.” Holly frowned.

“We’ve got nothing else to do. It’s been storming since late morning and now it’s night. May as well pass the time and…well..everyone shared.” Mal offered a weak smile.

Mal took a deep breath and did her best to collect her thoughts. “My world isn’t like your world, but that’s a whole other story. For now I’ll just give you the important parts. I had a family. My parents and my older brother Torvald.”

“Oooh is that where Tor comes from?” Hamish smirked at Torger as the Hare had noticed Mal calling the Tiger Tor when she was miffed with him.

Mal sighed. “Yes.”

Hamish laughed and Torger snarled.

“Guys, let Maleah finish her story.” Holly actually glared at them.

Both Monsters sat down, but were still glaring at one another.

“It’s not really much of a story,” Mal said truthfully. “The whole deal would take too long.” She shook her head. “Point is my parents recently died in an accident about….” Maleah searched her mind. “About two weeks before I first got here.”

Maleah willed herself to not dwell on the hate for the manager flippantly mentioning a family friend had called with an emergency. How she took off without clocking out to get to the hospital. She managed to block that out, but other thoughts still seeped in though. Her parents had always been safe drivers. It couldn’t have been happening. It was the middle of the day, drunk drivers didn’t happen in the middle of the day! They didn’t happen in the middle of the week! 

Mal couldn’t stop herself from seeing the white sheets over her parents as the doctor came out to tell her….

The Kitten took a deep shaky breath. “I wasn’t there for what killed them, but it was from my understanding bad.” The caskets had been closed at the funeral. “Then it was just my brother and I. We…” Were wills even a thing in this world? She didn’t know or care. “We didn’t always get along. He wanted to move into or sell the family home. I was living there, but……”

Hadn’t mattered she had nowhere else to go. Hadn’t mattered she had a dead end job that wouldn’t allow her to afford to live anywhere. Hadn’t mattered he already had a home of his own. Hadn’t even offered her the chance to stay in the only home she’d ever known. He was starting his own family and didn’t have time to deal with her….

Maleah shook her head one last time, she could not go down this rabbit hole. Scratch that, she would not go down this rabbit hole. With another deep breath she continued. “But it wasn’t likely I’d be living there for much longer. I was moving some of my things when I found the game. I didn’t have anywhere to be, so I decided to play it.” She half smiled. “Thought I broke the game. Instead I ended up in front of Holly and Marzipan.”

“You were grown and still in your parents’ den?” Torger snorted.

“Torger!” Everyone, save Mal, shouted.

“You sound like Torvald.” Maleah said bitterly under her breath.

“She’s not a grown monster! How could she be a grown human?” Marzipan snapped.

“She’s grown enough to be out and fighting then she’s grown enough to leave the den.” Torger stood his ground.

“Wait what?” Maleah blinked.

“She could barely summon fire till recently, so she’s clearly a young monster.” Marzipan stomped a hoof.

“Do monsters age differently than people in this world?” Maleah looked at Holly.

“I mean I don’t think so….why?” Holly cocked her head.

“Because I’m pushing twenty-six years old.” Maleah deadpanned. 

That sparked a discussion alright.

=

Turns out some Monsters did age differently. Not a surprise all things considered as animals and even creatures of legends aged differently than humans. Ezra was possibly pushing over a hundred years old, guess work based purely on tree growth, in human years yet was a young adult in eyes of other Golems. Hamish was around twelve, a older teen in Hare years. Marzipan was unlocked on Holly’s sixth birthday, so she was ten years old yet was an older teen in Abyss years. Torger was the hardest to figure out. It took some math work, but they got Torger’s age. Torger was about twenty, give or take a few months, and was a full adult in Tiger years. Bean was perhaps the best example. He was only unlocked a few months ago yet Bean was like a kid of nine or ten years old. 

All that to say that despite Maleah being twenty-five as a human her Pixie bloodline, which were known for long lives, meant she wasn’t nearly that old. In fact she lost a few years. As most Pixies only ended the ‘teen’ phase at twenty-five. 

“So basically, I’m a the equivalent of an eighteen going on nineteen year old….great….” Maleah rubbed her face.

Maybe it helped explain all the emotional turmoil she’d been feeling. 

“Given Pixies have a long life and don’t really have a ‘pup’ stage makes sense that teenage-years last a long time.” Hamish nodded, but noticed Mal seemed to be in distress. “Hey just look at the bright side.” He offered with a smile

Mal stopped rubbing her face and looked at him. “What would that be?” She sighed.

“Means you’ve got a lot of time to find your way back home.” Hamish grinned.

She stared at the Hare wide eyed. Maleah hadn’t thought of that. How did time work here? Would she go back and just have been gone for a moment or two? She’d been here for months how did that work out back home? How much time had passed? Hours or days? Her heart sunk as another thought crashed into her at full speed. What if it was the same amount of time? She’d been here for months!

Why was it suddenly hard to breath?

“Deep breaths! Deep breaths sugar!” Marzipan’s hands were on her shoulders. “Slow deep breaths.”

“Way to go Ham.” Torger rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t mean anything by it! Besides you’ve taken a jab at her tonight.” Ham pointed an accusing finger at the Tiger.

Torger’s hackles raised as he snarled.

“No fighting!” Bean puffed up and pushed himself between them.

Torger and Hamish were about to protest when Ezra came and loomed over them from behind Bean. The pair decided to separate to keep away from each other for tonight.


	17. On the Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seems the tutorial stages are over, the real fight is about to begin.

They’d spent three days waiting out the rain in that cave. There had, mercifully, been other stories. Happier stories. Said stories had helped lighten the mood of things during those three days.

They zigzagged across the forest, back to the plains, and then back to the desert much like the one Torger was found in. It had been a week of the zigzagging, par for the course with the Gaia stone though. Still even as they moved Maleah’s mind bogged down with what ifs.

Maleah tried to shake off the funk, but she couldn’t shift her mind away from the idea that so much time could have passing back home. She had her hands on her house key more and more. The little green key with a sunflower, Mal had been fiddling with it less and less as she spent more time here. Now that home had been brought up…..

“You okay?” Holly was next to her.

Maleah wanted to say she was, but she knew Holly would see right through her. “Just a lot on my mind.”

“Thinking of home again?” She smiled softly.

“Yeah,” Mal sighed. “It’s just hard not to dwell on it.”

“Then think about something else.” Torger huffed and tossed his head. “It’s not that hard.”

The Kitten shot the blue and white Monster a nasty look. Said monster proceeded Mal’s gaze, but clearly did not regret his words.

“Well maybe I can help.” Hamish piped up and the brown Hare hopped in front of Mal. “We can play a game.” He grinned.

“Like what Ham?” Marzipan cocked her head.

“I spy!” Bean suggested excitedly.

Maleah looked around. The rocky forest had given way to a stony desert or scrub like terrain. Few plants, just a lot of rocks. Granted there were lots of…types of rocks. Not that Maleah knew what they were just that there were off-white, yellowish, red-brown, and orangish rocks. 

“Might be a pretty short game.” Maleah smirked. “A better game might be figuring out where in blazes we are.”

They’d zigzagged for quite awhile. 

“Well we’re heading towards the Phoenix.” Bean said cheerfully.

“I’m not too familiar with the geography of the area, but I think we’re hitting the middle of the continent.” Hamish said confidently. 

“What’s so special about the middle of the continent?” Maleah asked offhandedly.

“It’s home to Heaven’s Canyon. A supposedly bottomless canyon that nearly straddles the edge of the continent. Some claim it merely divides the continent, but others insist what lays on the other side is an island. It’s also the longest and in some places the widest canyon as well.” Hamish responded.

The kitten couldn’t help but laugh a little. “You’d make one heck of a tour guide Hamish.”

“I do love sharing my knowledge.” Hamish grinned.

“You love showing off.” Torger huffed.

Maleah thought back on the canyons they had passed by and even passed through, she also thought about the Grand Canyon back home. She wondered if it was like that, still there was one thing. “I sincerely doubt it’s bottomless.” The Kitten remarked.

“I agree, but that said it’s still extremely deep.” Hamish nodded.

The group rounded a bend and there was the canyon. It was massive. Even with Ezra’s help, the Golem lifted her up over his head and Mal stood on his palm, the other was still could not be seen. “Holy cow.” Maleah’s gaze swept the area.

It was beyond massive. Stone columns and clouds or maybe mist was all her eyes could see within the canyon. 

“Yupe this is Heaven’s Canyon alright.” Hamish nodded confidently.

“It’s unbelievable,” Maleah blinked and then looked at Holly. “We don’t have to cross this do we?”

Holly brought out the Gaia Stone which confirmed that they indeed needed to get across. There was a collective groan.

“Okay, so there’s got to be a way across, a place where it’s not as wide? Maybe a trail that leads to the bottom we can walk through?” Maleah knew there were trails in the Grand Canyon that could be used, surely this was the same.

“If we find a town that’s possible maybe.” Hamish rubbed his chin. 

“Are there even any towns around here?” Holly looked to Torger.

“I passed through here years ago, that said I heard talk about a settlement way out on the fringes. Too far and too small to be worth my time.” Torger shrugged.

“Well it’s a start.” Holly smiled. “Do you recall anything that could help us get there?”

Torger scratched the ground and climbed up the stony walls to get a better look. There was a frustrated growling before something made him stop. “I smell smoke, someone must have a camp nearby, we can ask them.” 

“Better than nothing.” Hamish shrugged.

~

The beginnings of smoke drew them as they made their way across the rocky terrain.

As they drew closer, it didn’t’ smell like a campfire. None of the others had smelled anything like it, but Maleah could almost place the smell. It smelled a lot like a gasoline fire. She hadn’t smelled anything close to it in a good long while. That said it was too distinct to be anything else. A mixture of worry and curiosity churned in her stomach. 

Nothing Maleah had seen lead her to believe that technology that needed gasoline, or even gasoline itself for that matter, existed. Over the rocks and down a rock face and the source was before them. It looked like a hybrid between a small personal aircraft and a motorcycle. It was strangely sci fi, but somewhat ancient in appearance. One of what she guessed was the motors was burning, hence the smoke. Near the crumpled wreck was a man.

Holly made her way to the man while Torger used a blast of ice to put out the smoldering fire. Holly and Marzipan propped him up to look over the disheveled man. Said man let out a groan. From her fleece Marzipan pulled out some bandages from there she and Holly began to tend to the man. 

~

Needless to say the group had set up camp at the crash site. It wasn’t till night fall that man stirred once more. “Hello, my name is Holly. I was about to start dinner, care to us?”

“Us?” The man sat up shakily and saw all everyone near the campfire. “M-monsters? A-are they?” he looked to Holly.

“They’re all my friends.” She reassured. 

Holly then proceeded to introduce everyone there to Ed, as he was called. 

“Quite the machine. What does it do?” Hamish went to sit beside Ed, but when the man flinched he sat down a small distance away.

“Looks like a flying machine to me.” Maleah noted.

“Y-yeah it flies or it did fly.” Ed shifted slightly and refused to look the Pixie type monster in the eyes.

“It flies?” Hamish and Bean’s eyes lit up.

“Flying would be a great way to get across the canyon. So many opportunities, imagine charging people to fly across instead of spending days walking to the edges or taking a ship! Why it could be used to get anywhere! What could the price be?” Hamish brought out an abacus from his bag and started moving the beads while muttering numbers.

“It used to fly Ham.” Mal and Torger said tartly. 

That killed the clicking of the abacus. “Right,” Hamish sighed and his ears sagged, but then the perked right back up. “Maybe it can be fixed.” He turned to Ed. “If you built this you can help us fix it then, right?” Ham leaned closer to the human.

“I mean I did, but I don’t want to go back across. Not for anything!” Ed backed up from intruding Hare and shakely got to his feet. 

“Hamish he’s been through a lot, let him eat up and rest up.” Holly got up to steady Ed and chided Hamish.

“Right,” Hamish backed up looking a bit sheepish. “Nothing like a fine meal and a good night’s rest before getting to business.”

“Business?” Ed adjusted the cracked pair of glasses on his nose as Holly lead him back to a seated position.

“Well we won’t expect you to help us for nothing. Although.” The abacus started clicking again. “Factoring in food, medical, the condition of this….?” Hamish looked to Ed.

“Oh! It’s called an Iron bird.” Ed blinked in bewilderment. 

“Right. Given the condition of the Iron Bird and the repairs. Repairs account for things like parts, labor, and such.” More clacking and clicking of beads. “Yes sir I think I have a price range, with some wiggle room.” Hamish gave a confidant nod. “That said dinner and rest for now business come morning my good sir.” The Hare grinned.

“Oh, okay.” Ed still seemed completely befuddled.

Any questions he might have had were cut off when a bowl of hot broth was put in his hands. The banged-up man wolfed it down like he hadn’t seen food in a year. Though his questions were cut off, his actions and reaction left questions to those that observed him.


	18. Turbulence Part 1 of 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First of a three part chapter if you will. Three groups being observed. Holly is faced with some of the ugly out there, but she sticks to her guns....yet doubts are starting to worm their way into her mind. Can she really help in the face of such odds?
> 
> Next chapters will cover the monsters: Ezra and Maleach (2) then ending with Marzipan, Hamish, and Torger (3).

Holly smiled as Hamish, Ed, and even Maleah worked together to figure out what to do with the remains of the Iron Bird. Ed had agreed to help, but they would need a lot of supplies. “Okay, so here’s what we need.” Ed adjusted his cracked glasses.

“One engine is damaged and wont’ give you enough lift to get over. So we’ll the damage to as the lift engine.” He gave a nod to Maleah before his eyes darted back to the ground. “We’ll need to make a balloon to make that work. If we get enough reeds woven with the proper protection that should work.”

“There’s a river not far from here. It’s to the southeast by th-“ Torger was cut off.

“By the red cliffs.” Ezra finished for Torger.

“How would you know?” A half growl came from his muzzle.

“Ezra knows the plants grow denser closer to water in dry places. Reeds will be there. Maleah and Ezra will go to get reeds. Maybe find resin or clay to keep reeds safe from fire.” The golem nodded.

Torger huffed. “Fine, so we’ll make this balloon, what else do we need?”

“Well Ed, said we needed fuel. Thankfully I remember a town that had oil lamps, the oil came from these fruits. I spotted some of those trees when we made camp the other day. Ed here knows the process to turn it into fuel.” Hamish grinned and put an arm around Ed.

The human shook off his arm, but did nod. “Right right.” Ed laughed nervously. “Still there’s no guarantee this works out, so don’t get your hopes up.” His eyes returned to the ground.

“Doesn’t work or it takes to long we just go to one of the towns is closer.” Torger snorted. “If you two.” He looked to Ezra and Mal. “Are getting reeds, Hamish and I will get the fuel. Make sure this slacker gets work done.”

“I’ll go with you two, so you two don’t kill one another.” Mazipan got up.

“If he pulls his weight there won’t be a fight.” Torger glared at Hamish.

“Genius requires ample rest to help boost brain power. Not that you could appreciate that.” The Hare retorted.

“Holly can stay and help me with the Bird.” Ed suddenly spoke up.

“That’s fine, Bean can help out with us too.” Holly smiled.

“R-right.” Ed sheepishly grinned.

With that most of the Monsters left the camp, each heading off to do their tasks. While still in sight Holly realized something. “Please be back before sunset! And bring back firewood if you can!” Holly called out to them.

They waved back to show they had heard her.

~

She was glad for that, now she knew when to expect them back and hoped for firewood too. Holly was also glad that it was just her and Bean, Ed seemed scared of Monsters. Perhaps being around one as small and cute and Bean would help.

“Hey um…B-Bean was it?” Ed looked at the Mocchi.

Bean nooded.

“Can you look through the wreckage and find me all the loose ones of these?” He held up a small metal bit that was in the shape of an octagon. “Only the loose ones, not the ones attached to things o-okay?”

“I’m on it.” Bean gave a salute and went to the wreckage.

Holly smiled it seemed to be working.

“Oh, hey, Holly.” Ed waved her over. “Could you give me a hand?”

“I don’t know much, but I’ll see what I can do.” She approached.  
Ed took her hand. “They’re gone, we can leave now and I think we can outrun that pink one. Come on.” He hissed and tugged her arm.

“Wait what?” Holly blinked and pulled back.

“You don’t have to be scared; we can get away from them now.” Ed insisted.

“Let go!” Holly struggled and got her arm away.

Ed managed to stay standing. “Shh! They’ll hear you!” He whispered harshly and looked around.

“You tired to drag me away from my friends? Why would I be quiet about that?” Holly stepped back again.

“Friends? They’re Monsters! No, they can’t be trusted.” Ed shook his head. “I’ve seen what they can do. They aren’t safe, let’s get out of here before they try and take you to the other side of the canyon!”

“What are you talking about? What’s on the other side?” Holly kept out of his reach.

“I don’t have time to explain it all to you, but understand it’s bad. We need to get a head start now come on.” Ed reached for Holly once more. “You’ve got to trust me.”

A pink blur appeared and knocked Ed to the ground.

“Holly doesn’t want to go, you can’t make her go!” Bean unrolled and put up his fists as he stood in front of Holly.

“It’s okay Bean.” Holly patted his head.

Ed gasped and scrambled backwards. 

Holly frowned and took a deep breath. “I don’t know what’s happening on the other side, but we need to go over there. If you don’t want to go back, that’s fine, but me and my friends are going to the other side.”

“They’ll sell you out to Muu!” Ed insisted. “That’s what they do!”

“My friends would never do that!” Holly snapped. “You don’t know them like I know them. The Monsters under Muu’s control wouldn’t be acting this way if it wasn’t for Muu. So not all Monsters are bad and once Muu is defeated all the Monsters will be good again.”

Ed shifted slightly. “You…..You’re the Searchers aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Bean said triumphantly.

“Then you’re looking for a way to beat Muu? You’re the one beating up his soldiers?” Ed seemed awestruck. 

“We all are.” Holly said firmly. “Me and all my friends.”

Ed got back on his feet. “So you really want to go over there to beat Muu. If you do you need to know a few things. Over there one of Muu’s big bad four is on the other side. Pixie. Humans are enslaved. We mine discs, rock, ore, and whatever other back breaking task they can give us. We work from sunup to sundown those who can’t….” Ed shuddered. “Muu’s minions are everywhere, but I managed to get away….so many of us were supposed to get away. They fell off and only I made it.” Ed bit back a sob. 

Holly came forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

Ed took a few shaky breaths. “You have to stay away from the two pillars on the other side, it marks what’s left of our old town. Pixie lives in the one remaining tower. Promise me that.”

Holly thought for a moment. “No, I won’t promise that.”

“What?” Ed gasped and stared at her.

“If there is a chance I can help, if there’s a chance we all can help. Then we’re going to try.” Holly smiled.

“They work for Muu! They won’t have mercy and there’s so many of them! Pixie is there and she might be the strongest monster on this continent!” Ed reminded her. “I won’t help you go on a suicide mission!” 

“I said we’d help if there is a chance. I don’t want to put us all in danger, but….I don’t want to leave people to suffer if I can help it.” Holly squeezed her pendant. “You don’t have to help us anymore either. We’ll just walk to the nearest town.” She looked back at him.

“………..You’re serious about this.” Ed sighed.

Holly nodded.

“They have eyes on the towns. Pixie keeps the towns guarded. Everything seems normal, but as soon as someone new comes they end up working like the rest of us.” Ed shook his head. “They won’t be watching the middle here because it’s the widest point in the canyons.” He smiled weakly. “If you fly across the middle they won’t know you’re coming. So, I better get back to it.” Ed went back to the remains of the Iron Bird. “If you do get back to the other side and help the others…tell Rocco and Mitch I’m sorry and I wish them well?”

Holly smiled. “Of course. Do you need a hand?” She stepped over to him.

“I do….I also really do need those little octagons…” Ed timidly looked at Bean.

Bean saluted and got back to work.

As they began to work in earnest it was clear it would take a few days, but as the sun started to set they had made good progress for their first day of work. Holly was looking forward to flying in a few days time, yet her eyes looked towards the canyon and she felt a slight twinge of fear. She couldn’t help but wonder if she really could help those that were enslaved. Were they strong enough? Could they really do it? Would it be selfish to ask them all to try and help these strangers?

Her finger traced the Gaia stone. She didn’t know if she could. Holly also didn’t know if she could live with herself if she didn’t try. After all if it was her village in danger she’d want others to help her….She sighed.

“Holly dinner is ready!” Marzipan called cheerfully.

“Alright!” She called back, she’d talk to them after dinner.


	19. Turbulence Part 2 of 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've seen what Holly and Bean have been up to, now we get to see how Ezra and Maleah spent the day.
> 
> Part three will cover Torger, Hamish, and Marzipan's activities.

Be back by sunset and get firewood. Maleah wasn’t sure how much firewood they would find by this stream, but they could keep an eye out. The walk over had been silent, but it felt like Ezra was waiting for something. Mal could feel his eyes on her. “Something on your mind Ezra?” She turned to face the Golem.

“Ezra wishes to know what troubles you.” 

Maleah stared just for a moment before she recovered. “Nothing is troubling me, just lots on my mind. No big deal.”

Ezra did not look convinced. The towering gray stone monster looked at her, his expression was hard to read most times, but right now his features softened. “You are lost in thought many times. Your sleep has been troubled. Ezra will not push you if you do not wish to speak, but please know that when you are ready to speak Ezra will listen to you.”

Maleah’s heart sank. “It’s that obvious.” It was more a statement than a question.

“Holly and Marzipan are also worried, but they have not spoken to you. Maybe being alone and without certain others nearby….you would speak more freely.” Ezra spoke softly as he approached the reeds. “Your world is not like this world in some ways, but similar in others. Perhaps Ezra will not understand, but perhaps Ezra will.” He turned to smile encouragingly at her.

Mal sighed. There was so much swimming through her thoughts she didn’t know where to start, but they had till sunset and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could bottle this up. “I’m worried about home.”

Ezra said nothing as he gathered reeds, but he nodded.

“I don’t know how much time has passed. I’ve been here for months.” Maleah went to the reeds as well.

When her Golem companion nodded once more and so Maleah went on. “I mean how much time has passed at home? Is it the same? Have I been missing for months? Are they mad? Are they scared? Are they worried? Do they care that I’m gone?” She swiped at the reeds with her claws. “I just don’t know what’s going on there and what I should expect when I get back.” The reeds were being cut like hot knife going through butter. “Heck! I don’t know if I can even get back home!” Reeds went flying as she threw up her hands.

“I mean even if I can what do I say to everyone? My brother wanted me gone before, but now….now if I say where I’ve been him and everyone else will think I’ve completely gone off the rocker!” Maleah laughed breathlessly. “I’d be locked up for the rest of my life if I told anyone about all this.” Mal rubbed her forehead. “I’m living this and even I have trouble believing it. I’m just waiting to wake up and then tweet about this crazy dream I had, but I wake up here. Here!” She stood up and spun around for emphasis. “Just what is this place even? There’s humans, Monsters, and animals. Science and magic. What are the rules? How does this all work? Just.” Maleah sank to the ground head in her hands.

She took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself as Mal felt tears building up. After a few breaths she spoke again, the bottle had been opened and now everything was spilling out. Maleah couldn’t put the cap back on now. 

“That is a lot.” Ezra said simply. “Some of that maybe Ezra can help with.” He sounded hopeful. 

The Golem put down his latest reed bundle and turned to face the frazzled Kitten. “The unknown can be frightening. Leaving my home was frightening, but Ezra has seen and done so much since leaving home. Ezra also agrees that this world is strange. The ‘rules’ are unclear to Ezra as well. We can figure that out together.” Ezra nodded sagely. “As for the other world, the world you come from…Ezra does not have answers.” Ezra shook his head for emphasis, but his eyes soon returned to Maleah. “You are worry about time passed, about others, but you speak with most fear when referring to your brother.”

Maleah stayed quiet but gripped the sides of her head fighting back more tears.

“You are afraid of him.”

“Yes.” Mal whispered but didn’t dare open her eyes or move. 

Ezra carefully placed a finger on her back to pat her back. 

“Yes I’m scared of him. He and I…we…..he just….” Maleah let out a shaky breath.

Ezra just kept, as gently as he could, patting her back.

“I love my brother, but….” She took a deep breath as the Golem kept on comforting her. “But he’s got an awful temper. When he gets angry, that’s when I’m scared of him.”

Torvald angry was a sight to behold and even remembering it filled Maleah with dread. He’d shout, his face would turn red, he’d lift up his hands and shake his fists, storm around the room…pacing like a caged predator ready to attack, and when he hit his boiling point his anger would spill out and he’d lash out. Walls and furniture would get punched or if he could he’d get his hands on something to cause real damage. Wood chopped to kindling in a fit of frustration. A phone smashed to bits because a sledgehammer had been handy in a moment of rage.

Yet it wasn’t just the physical might that terrified Maleah, indeed she feared that one day Torvald wouldn’t have anything to break and would instead break her. No, his anger could be paired with something just as if not more damaging. Torvald’s sharp tongue.

Torvald was smart. He’d always been smart. Torvald could also be charming, so much so that when things were good Mal would share thing with him. Things that in the heat of the moment Torvald would weaponize against her. He’d come at her like a storm. Hitting hard and fast, then it would dissipate. 

Once his anger was spent Torvald back to normal. Like he hadn’t just smashed his phone in a fit of anger, as if he hadn’t just spent the last five minutes making his own flesh and blood feeling lower than the dirt beneath a worm’s belly. The red would fade from his face and he was back to normal. Torvald would even laugh off some of the damage done. To him all was fine and dandy because he wasn’t angry anymore so nothing else mattered.

“You love your brother, that is good. If he loves you as well, he would not want to hurt you intentionally in anyway.” Ezra said gently. 

Maleah opened her eyes and saw that Ezra was laying down on the ground so he could be at face level with her. She also realized she was shaking and weeping. The kitten took a breath. Ezra’s words… 

The once human let out a shaky laugh as she wiped her eyes. “My parents used to say something similar to that.” Maleah turned her face away from him as she tried to compose herself.

“Shedding tears is not a bad thing.” Ezra carefully used his stone pinkie to wipe away a tear form her cheek. “Tears are natural. Tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of anger, all of them are good to let out. There is no shame in them.” He smiled gently. “So if there are tears let them fall, do not bottle them up.”

“That’s good advice.” Maleah smiled weakly as she wiped the last of her tears away. “Thank you for listening to me ramble Ezra.”

The Golem smiled softly. “Always here to listen. Might not be able to do much, but Ezra will always listen.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind, for now. I feel a bit better.” Maleah looked back to the reed pile. “We’ve got a lot of reeds to gather though and I….I really don’t want to share more right now.”

“That is fine.” Ezra got back up. “Talk more when you are ready and only when you are ready.” 

The pair worked on the reeds in silence for the most part.

“Do you miss your home?” Maleah asked him hesitantly. 

“Tending the flowers and feeding the birds was nice, but lonely. Ezra did not realize how lonely it all was till you came to the fortress. Having company again after so very long Ezra knew that loneliness had set in. Since joining Ezra has seen many flowers and birds. Home is not the fortress. The fortress was my duty.”

“I can see that.” Maleah nodded as she tied up a bundle of reeds.

~

They continued to work until the sun began to set. From there they packed up and headed back to camp, Ezra was carrying the lion’s share of the reeds. The Golem did not mind in the least as the bundle of plants was scarcely a strain on the stone giant.

“Are there any reeds left?” Torger huffed but was smirking.

“Plenty more.” Ezra said as he put down the last of his bundles.

Mal was glad that the others found firewood, the picking by the river had been slim. Marzipan got started on dinner and the Kitten was just grateful to give her arms a break. She could sit back and relax, which was made easier by her less clouded mind. The Iron Bird seemed to be progressing well and Mal noticed the strange fruits that had been brought back. Yet, Maleah noticed that something was off about Holly.

“Holly dinner is ready!” Marzipan called.


	20. Turbulence Part 3 of 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Took me long enough didn't it? The other three are seen at long last! A mix of lighter and darker things, I struggled with how to write this chapter but I'm finally happy with this. Got full time job, so I'm hoping to have at least do a chapter a month. For now enjoy :D

“A little big of elbow grease and we’ll have all the oil fruits we need.” Hamish nodded.

“Assuming it doesn’t fall apart the minute we load it.” Torger huffed.

“If it works for a couple runs that’s just fine by me.” Marzipan spoke up.

The Hare and the Switch had found the abandoned cart, it had been in rough shape, and managed to patch it up enough to get it in working order. A good portion of Marzipan’s spare wool had gone to making ropes to keep it together, but even if it failed after working just once. It was one less armful to carry back and forth.

“That’s the spirit.” Hamish clapped his hand. “We’ll have more than enough fuel in no time, but….” He gave an ear twitch. “We should load the firewood first.”

“Good call, we don’t want the fruits to burst before we get home.” Marzipan nodded.

“So divide and conquer.” Hamish perked up. “Torger can get the fruit and you can get the wood.” The Hare looked to Marzi.

“And what will you be doing?” Marzi and Tor looked at him.

“I’ll be guarding the cart of course.” He smiled.

Neither of the Hare’s companions looked amused.

Hamish sighed. “Fine I’ll get the fruit. I do have a keen eye for detail after all.” He rubbed his chin grinning.

Hamish headed towards the woods.

“I bet my dinner he slacks off.” Torger huffed as he followed.

“I won’t take you up because sure as the sunrises sug, he’s gonna.” Marzi shook her head and went to gather what firewood she could.

“Me lazy?” The Hare spun on his heels to face them. “Why I’m hurt you could slander me within earshot in such a way.” He sniffled dramatically. “It cuts me to the quick.”

Marzipan shook her head “Try not to kill each other!” She called over her shoulder. 

With that the Switch was off on her little quest.

The Tiger gave a snort and headed towards the woods.

Hamish waited till Marzi was far enough away before catching up to Torger. “It’s true, I had my heart set on getting as much as possible. More than you could ever get.”

“You expect me to fall for that?” The Tiger lashed his tail and a slight snarl on his lips.

“Fall for what? All I’m saying is I know exactly what to look for and have hands.” He wiggled his fingers just out of biting range. “Prefect for fruit gathering. You…well…maybe you should stay here and watch the cart.” Hamish gave Torger a playful pat on the head before heading into the forest.

“Like hell I’m watching the cart! Just you wait!” Torger shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Torger leapt effortlessly from tree to tree, knocking the oil fruits from the high branches. He had a good stockpile next to the base of each tree. The blue canine monster looked over his haul and grinned. Not a blemish, bruise, or scuff on a single fruit. A cocky chuckle built in the back of his throat as he turned to look at the rabbit’s ‘pile’.

As his gaze shifted something caught his eye. 

One of his own piles seemed…shorter….and the Hare’s was bigger. Torger narrowed his eyes. ‘Where was that low life rodent anyway?’

A gentle snore caught his ears. Torger followed the sound to it’s source, Hamish snoozing against the Hare’s supposed pile of oil fruits.

“I’ll eat you alive you lazy bastard!” The Tiger roared.

Hare screamed as he was rocketed to the waking world and onto his feet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marzipan had found more than firewood, in fact she’d found more than she bargained form. The burnt remains of a village that was being reclaimed by local plants. She wondered if her old home was like this now nothing. Marzi stepped cautiously through the abandoned space. 

Rotting buildings, weed filled roads, the shattered remnants of village life scattered about, and a few twisted stumps that indicated lost discs once took root. Despite all her wool Marzipan felt a chill go up her spine. It was so quiet and deeply unsettling, had the cart been from someone from here? Had they tried to get away?

Marzipan shook her head. Nothing could be done about that now, for now they needed supplies. As she gathered up wreckage, she spotted a great cauldron. It was big, heavy, but in great shape. The wood was quickly forgotten if she could roll this back why they could have a feast! 

The thought of whipping up something tasty quickly drowned out the dark thoughts that had crept into her mind. With some effort the metal giant went to it side and began to roll, Marzi couldn’t help the little squeal of joy that escaped her as she got it rolling. A stew? Soup? Oh if only she had some broth! 

Marzi had just made it back to the cart when she heard something.

Screaming.

Screaming that was coming closer.

Screaming that was clearly coming form only one Monster.

It was Hamish.

The Switch sighed and went to save the Hare from whatever half-baked scheme had resulted in Torger trying to kill him, yet again. Marzipan let the cauldron roll to a halt beside the cart and made it to the tree line just as the speeding Hare came crashing forward from the brush.

“Help me please!” Hamish pleaded at the tops of his lungs. 

Marzipan took a deep breath, tripped the incoming Hare with her spork and struck the raging Tiger in the nose. 

Hamish groaned. 

Torger whirled back onto his feet rage retargeted.

“Why do you two go anywhere together.” The Switch shook her head. “Now, I don’t care who started it. I don’t care who did what to who. What matters is doing our job. Now. Hamish, get firewood. Torger and I will get the fruits.”

“I got us plenty.” Torger snarled as he looked at the downed rabbit mercilessly.

“Then I’ll help carry them back. Hamish get the wood or so help me I will let Torger here eat one of your toes.” She stamped a hoof for emphasis. “Got it?”

“Yes ma’am.” The Hare sniveled and went towards the place that Marzi had come from.

“You, me, fruits.” Marzipan used a raspberry scented ribbon wrapped around Torger’s horns. “Let’s go.”

Torger growled, yet went with Marzipan, nonetheless. “I’ll eat more than a toe.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wood creaked as the cart came to a halt back at camp. A good pile of firewood lay below the round, almost olive looking, fruit. The cart had groaned, moaned, and shook the entire way. Every sound and bump seemed to suggest that the old thing would collapse at any second. Despite the sounds and signals of doom impending it had made the journey back in one piece. 

Though Marzipan was prouder of the cauldron she’d brought back if she were honest, oh the things she could make with this, why she c-

“This will be prefect for getting the oil out of the fruits.” Ed remarked as the cauldron was put upright.

Marzipan could have kicked herself, how could she not have thought of that right out the gate? She sighed, they had to get across the canyon she couldn’t be putting this beauty bit of metal to use for feasting. The Switch gave the metal treasure a pat, someday she’d be able to…someday…

“I knew it, that’s why I grabbed it.” Hamish grinned. “Great minds think alike.” 

Marzipan’s ears pinned flat against her head. “You grabbed it?” She narrowed her eyes.

Hamish let out a nervous laugh, but quickly pulled Ed off to the side to talk numbers.

“I can still eat him.” Torger offered the twitching Switch.

“Tempting, but no.” Marzi sighed. “We need him.”

“For now.” Torger huffed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You found a village?” Holly’s eyes lit up.

“What was left of one sug.” Marzipan said softly.

“Oh,” Holly went back to helping prep dinner. “How old did it look?”

Marzipan bit her lower lip. It hadn’t look like the damage was fresh, but it didn’t look old. “Not like something we need to worry about.” Marzipan nodded her head. 

Holly finished chopping up a carrot and was about to start another when she looked up at Marzipan. “If it had been…bad, you would have told me right?”

Marzipan looked at her.

Holly went back to chopping up her carrot. “I mean I know there’s nothing we could do, but….you don’t have to hide how bad things are from me.” 

“Course hun, we’re in this together.” Marzipan came over and put a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Besides I’m a terrible liar.” She laughed sheepishly.

“The fire is getting low.” Holly turned to see if there was more wood to grab when something else caught her eye. “Ezra and Mal are back!” Holly got up from the makeshift prep area to greet them.

Not only were the pair b ack but with more than enough firewood and reeds. Maleah was in a better mood, the Golem had that effect on people. The fire for oil production and dinner making was roaring, for now, but more wood would be needed to get things done. For now….it was time to sit back and relax and enjoy some cooking.

Just about everyone was gathered around the campfire for a nice hot meal.

“Holly dinner is ready!” Marzipan called.

**Author's Note:**

> Please note I cut Suezo as....to be honest I didn't like him and he was kinda useless so enjoy Marzipan the Switch.
> 
> Also note that canon characters that are major get names as...it just always bothered me that they didn't.


End file.
